Dan Walker - one to watch

[Brian Jordan]

It seems that the BBC has appointed a YEC to front a morning TV news programme: Dan Walker.
His appointment is condemned in the Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/bbc/12152098/Dan-Walkers-creationism-is-an-affront-to-reason-science-and-logic.html
but defended by the Nationional Secular Society - provided he can keep his lunacy to himself.
http://www.secularism.org.uk/blog/2016/02/dan-walkers-creationism-may-be-an-affront-to-science--but-hes-entitled-to-his-beliefs
The news programme is "Breakfast" on BBC1 from 6am to 9:15 so he has over 3 hours a day in which to slip up!
Does anyone feel up to watching TV at that hour?

[Roger Stanyard]

I for one am alarmed at this development. The mission of the BBC is to inform, educate and entertain and many believe that it has moved far too far away from the inform and educate elements of its corporate ethos. See, for example, BBC1 schedules. The BBC's enemies, particularly amongst Tories, will use this as ammunition to downsize it even further. That would be a tradgedy. The BBC accounts for half of all original TV programming in the UK. The appointment of a YECer to a senior position casts severe doubts about the credibility of the Breakfast TV programme and the judgement of its managerial masters and journalists/

The BBC long had a covert policy of keeping extremists out of the organisation; as late as the 1980s MI5 had an inhouse vetter of appointments (essentially to keep hardline Marxists out).

I would also point out that some of the YECers subscribe to seven mountains dominionism which involves them taking control of the media. That form of domionism cannot be dismissed lightly. It appears that Ted Cruz is of that ilk - his father, Rafael, certainly is. Ted Cruz is a front runner to become the most powerful person on this planet.

Finally, the BBC is essentially a middle-class institution. It's staff are very much in that mold, tinged with a strong element of liberalism (yes, they re a bit pinko). YECism is essentially a religious position of the relatively poorly educated. I wonder what people within the BBC, including his colleagues on the Breakfast programme, think about him and his appointment.

UK, so I'll express my bias: I have long held the view that the BBC is a very precious organisation, central to broadcasting and the media as well as British culture. I've long respected the many people I have met who work for it (or who contract to it). This is a slap in their face. It debases their professionalism and standing. How is this man going to report on scientific discoveries (such as gravitational waves) if he doesn't accept science? All I would see if he did is a fraud who doesn't believe what he says. Is he going to say one thing whilst believing another?

[Brian Jordan]

I suppose we should be thankful for small mercies - it seems he'll only be doing in for one day a week:

Turnbull's last day will be on 26 February and Walker will officially replace him on 29 February.

Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty will continue to present the programme throughout the rest of the week.

OTOH, he seems to be a jumped=up sports commenter, so most of the "show" will probably be devoted to the weekend's gladitorial activities. If there's no bread, let them eat circuses.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/dan-walker-the-creationist-sports-presenter-replacing-bill-turnbull-on-bbc-breakfast-a6867216.html

There's no mention of his creationism on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Walker_%28sports_journalist%29 - clearly an update is needed because according to Google the media seem to know all about it. There seems to be a shortage of evidence though - but don't worry, it's all explained here:
http://www.star4cast.ca/dan-walker-creationism-an-overload-of-neptune/
It's in his stars, you see.

Dan Walker, ex-sports presenter, is a new anchor for BBC’s flagship breakfast news and chat show. What has got the media buzzing, and up in arms, is that he is a creationist – believes the earth is between six and ten thousand years old, created by God, and the dinosaur bones were ????

Born 19 March 1977, he’s a New Moon in Pisces with planets in all three Fire signs including Neptune in Sagittarius. His Sun = his Neptune/Pluto midpoint; and his Uranus/Neptune and Saturn/Neptune all aspect his Pluto, Jupiter and Mars.

Neptune can, of course, be spiritual or psychic, but Neptune/Pluto tends towards the pursuit of fantastical ideas; Uranus/Neptune can sometimes lead to peculiar psychic states; and Saturn/Neptune finds it difficult to balance fantasy with reality.

Sarah Palin is also a creationist and her Neptune squares her Sun Mars Saturn, is sextile her Pluto and inconjunct her Jupiter, trine her MC – so heavily aspected. Her Sun aspects two Neptune midpoints; and her Jupiter aspects her Neptune/Pluto.

Chuck Norris is another, 10 March 1940 3am Ryan, OK and he’s a Sun Pisces opposition Neptune, with Neptune trine Uranus. His Jupiter is also = Neptune/Pluto; his Uranus =Jupiter/Neptune and his Neptune= Uranus/Pluto.

Wonder whether they’ll let Dan Walker interview Richard Dawkins?

It's probably those gravitational waves wot dun it.

[a_haworthroberts]

Mr Walker has succeeded in stimulating TWO threads here! I just commented at the other one (with four links added). He won't work on Sundays (like another ex Christian and former athlete turned TV presenter - Jonathan Edwards - once refused to do).

I'm very rarely up when 'Breakfast' is on.