Brian Cox: BBC bosses feared alien discovery could breach editorial guidelines

I thought this was interesting, or perhaps a better word would be "ridiculous"!

Brian Cox and his Stargazing Live crew were banned from searching for life on a newly discovered planet because BBC bosses feared aliens may breach editorial guidelines.

Prof Cox, who hosts the show with comedian Dara O'Briain, said he had hoped to point the Jodrell Bank telescope at the planet Threapleton Holmes B after it was discovered live on air last year and listen for signs of life.

But he claimed he was prevented from doing so because the Corporation was concerned that a discovery of aliens could violate BBC regulations.

Speaking on the BBC Radio 6 Music breakfast show on Wednesday, Prof Cox said: "The BBC actually said 'You can't do that. We need to go through the regulations and health and safety and everything in case we discover a signal from an alien civilisation'.

Source: The Telegraph

I don't believe that this is a "cover up", but I am surprised that the BBC was so touchy when it came to this topic.

Thoughts?

Originally posted by FireballStorm
We need to go through the regulations and health and safety and everything

I don't believe that this is a "cover up", but I am surprised that the BBC was so touchy when it came to this topic.

Thoughts?

Like you, I dont think this is a coverup, just an overly bureaucratic process.
Got to have the right forms for everything.
Cant do anything without an impact statement and company policy being prepared first.

The same nonsense that prevents us from using any scissors at my workplace except for blunt kindergarten grade. Cant be sharp, because somebody might get hurt.

Busted.
Broadcating.
Channel.

There's no aliens! Except those last ones we met gave us the clap. There's guidelines in place man!

reply to post by FireballStorm


Seti may have been listening to nearby Aliens for years for all we know. They are not going to tell us. What the BBC is saying is not impossible. There would be rules on keeping these things secret.

Does seem a little suspicious. It's almost like the BBC bosses have been made aware that this particular planet has a much higher potential for life than other extrasolar planets.

They should investigate it anyway and air the program somewhere else if they get anything. Channel 4 would love it!

If anything it seems like they would have perhaps stated investigate but keep it on the down-low but to outright say don't investigate throws up a flag ( at least for me ). Although going from this statement "We need to go through the regulations and health and safety and everything in case we discover a signal from an alien civilisation'." I can understand why I suppose with movies like Independence Day and Aliens (along with a whole bunch of others) the need to be cautious has been embedded into our minds.

Well this certainly points to the fact that broadcasters have very specific marching orders from Gov't on (at least) this issue. Makes me feel so warm and fuzzy knowing that the gov't is ensuring I don't see or hear anything that might upset me...I'm glad they love us little people so much to care like that.

Granted I'm in USA, but I'd bet a pint that the UK got the idea from the USA!

I would not be surprised if it fell under the notorious D Notice that is slapped on news items if it is felt that the item in question put the security of the nation at risk or was a military operation in effect etc. D Notices have been used many times I am sure when it should not have been done.

Hey did anybody see last night that somebody made an ATS account claiming to be TonyBlair, also his username, who posted that he going to tell the world about aliens on BBC. Guess those rules got him booted aswell.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

This is a massive shame. I dont buy the excuse he was given one little bit. Health and safety? I just cannot see how there could be a health and saftey concern over observing a celestial object at such distance. I mean just what are they afraid of? Myocardial infarction? Brain bleed? Seizures? They worried that it would be to exciting? Bullcrap. If they had said something like " If you see something, you cannot announce it because it would infringe on religious rights of faith groups", I might be slightly less suspicious, because I have to face facts, thats a far more realistic prospect.

The fact that they punked out by giving him this utter BS line about health and saftey, sounds to me like a pre-emptive cover up activity.

Brian Cox's naivety though... bless! The fellow is such a straight shooter, he probably never considered the potential ramifications for the BBC if it was responsible for the discovery of alien life. Brian Cox reminds me of a child in some ways. Although he clearly has a very advanced capacity for thought, the idea that there could be negative effects on the Beeb probably never even occurred to him. Also, even baring in mind his naivety, I am suprised that he never questioned the reasoning he was given for the refusal to agree with his request.

From a pure ratings angle, the possible discovery of life on other planets would be a instant winner, so you can be the choice had nothing to do with that!

Anyone else sick of the bbc and its f**king cover ups,this organization is no longer fit for purpose,i know this subject is a little light harted but with this the jimmy savile scandal,the 15 other bbc celebs the main stream media has reported,covering up for the peadophiles in number 10 by refusing name names in its newsnight program,apointing Max Cliford as head of children in need(a man who has confessed to covering for and profiting from child abuse)would anyone expect the bbc to tell us about aliens,come on.

Its a nice plug for his new tv show. I used to have a little respect for him but after his comments about the moon landing I just think he's an arrogant S&^%.

Im open minded about the moon landing, I wouldn't like to say either way, Im no expert on the videos but I do understand why there would be a need to fake it at the time for political reasons. Yet he says anyone who believes that we faked it are morons. I think that is just ignorant.

Back on topic. I don't think this is a cover up, but it wouldn't be the first time the BBC had covered something up would it, cough jimmy saville cough

I'm also going with the theory the the Gov has in place a gagging order on the media regarding messages from space and such.

Brian's wife likes this clip.

If you want to hear for yourself you have until the 14th Nov it's on BBC IPlayer

www.bbc.co.uk...!_And_Peter_Serafinowicz_will_also_be_dropping_in/

Fast forward to about 2hrs 45 mins in to the show.

I get the impression that the BBC weren't purposely trying to cover up the presence of alien life but that some official wanted to cover his own backside as he/she did not know if there were any protocols on announcing something so significant and being live on air there would no going back.

i actually lost interest in Dr Brian Cox when i heard him (on bbc1) say that there was no life out there, maybe microbes.

but i did hear Sir Patrick Moore say that it was mathematically impossible for there not to be life out there! (on bbc1) and i don't think he meant micro life.

Just imagine the public reaction if the BBC did live broadcast the discovery of alien life!

Would have huge repercussions, and there would be no way to retract it...other than to say, "Oh we made a mistake hehehe"...

reply to post by meremortal


To be fair to him, going on hard proof alone, he cannot say anything else. Mathematically speaking however he may have a different perspective. Mr Cox is capable of many different types of thought, but not all his thought tracks operate simultaneously.

Maybe a "War of the Worlds" moment was envisaged by the top brass and they certainly don't want to be responsible for sending people into a mass panic

However, I didn't think finding intelligent life out there was as simple as just pointing your telescope at some random planet

reply to post by alfa1

The same nonsense that prevents us from using any scissors at my workplace except for blunt kindergarten grade. Cant be sharp, because somebody might get hurt.

...........er..ummmm......where exactly do you "work"? Are there bars on the windows? Do all of your "co-workers" wear the same clothes? Do the "bosses" give you special mints and make sure you swallow your "mints"? I'm joking of course that was funny.