BBC presenter sacked for demanding non-Asian driver

DB_SamX · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:11

Azagoth said:
Not racist at all! Plus isn't it illegal to record a private phone call without the consent of one party?

How not? It's about as blatantly racist as it can get.

Wrt the phone call, it is not illegal to do so as long as the recording is not disclosed to a third pary. I would imagine, and hope, in this case, they obtained permission from a court to do so. I doubt Sam gave them permission!

Brian Stuart · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:12

DB_SamX said:
Wrt the phone call, it is not illegal to do so as long as the recording is not disclosed to a third pary. I would imagine, and hope, in this case, they obtained permission from a court to do so. I doubt Sam gave them permission!

Do you not have to inform the caller that the call is being recorded?

Gackt · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:13

Lol. What a joke. She is fully entitled to have, or at least, request a non-Asian driver. Perhaps her daughter has never really been in a taxi alone before and would feel intimidated by someone who is of another ethic background? Nothing wrong with that. And sacking her is ridiculous.

World gone mad. Lolz.

whitecrook · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:14

Trying to leverage your employers name to get what you want is often considered bad form. 'But I work for the BBC' - we don't care, love.

DB_SamX · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:14

Brian Stuart said:
Do you not have to inform the caller that the call is being recorded?

No. See here:
http://www.retellrecorders.co.uk/legal/home.htm

I do it most of the time when I am on the phone to potentially unscrupulous customer service teams.

Dave · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:16

I thought all taxi drivers were asian?

Energize · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:16

Azagoth said:
Plus isn't it illegal to record a private phone call without the consent of one party?

No.

Brian Stuart · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:18

@DB SamX. I take from the link you posted that a business may record phone calls but not pass them on to a third party. if that is the case then how did the BBC find out and the call become public knowledge.

Gackt · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:18

DB_SamX said:
How not? It's about as blatantly racist as it can get.

Wrt the phone call, it is not illegal to do so as long as the recording is not disclosed to a third pary. I would imagine, and hope, in this case, they obtained permission from a court to do so. I doubt Sam gave them permission!

As far as I am concerned there's nothing wrong here. If she had called up saying "Please send a non-Asian, as Asians are terrible drivers and not to be trusted" then yeah, I can understand someone calling her on it. But as it stands she said nothing of the sort.

'racism' is such a vague term, and it has an immediate negativity about it. I hate that.

Energize · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:18

She should sue the taxi company for disclosing her information to a third party.

DB_SamX · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:19

Brian Stuart said:
I take from the link you posted that a business may record phone calls but not pass them on to a third party. if that is the case then how did the BBC find out and the call become public knowledge.

That's why I said that maybe they maybe got permission from a court who are allowed to release it. I'm guessing here.

Edit: I also wonder if there are situations whereby some information is allowed to be revealed. Far fetched but imagine person 1 recording person 2 telling him he is going to kill someone. Person 1 passes info to police. Surely, person 2 isn't going to be suing person 1?

Maybe here, laws regarding racist discrimiation came into play.

Brian Stuart · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:19

Energize said:
She should sue the taxi company for disclosing her information to a third party.

Agreed.

Brian Stuart · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:20

DB_SamX said:
That's why I said that maybe they maybe got permission from a court who are allowed to release it. I'm guessing here.

I very much doubt that a court would allow disclosure for the purpose of reproducing it in the media.

Energize · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:21

DB_SamX said:
That's why I said that maybe they maybe got permission from a court who are allowed to release it. I'm guessing here.

Somehow I doubt it. "Can we tell this persons employer that they did the heinous act of asking for a non asian driver?", "Of course that's a totally valid reason to release personal information", I think not.

She should sue the bbc as well for unfair dismissal.

Nanobot · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:27

Two thoughts aside from the main debate. If she was so worried about safety, why send a minor alone in taxi, why not accompany daughter if she was so concerned?

knip · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:29

Nanobot said:
Two thoughts aside from the main debate. If she was so worried about safety, why send a minor alone in taxi, why not accompany daughter if she was so concerned?

Cos she was on the air at the time. She made the call whilst a song was playing.

Azagoth · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:32

Then again, how do we know that her young Daughter or one of her friends hasn't had a nasty experience, like being raped, by an "Asian" guy before?

Mattus · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:36

Yes, it was racist and she shouldn't have done it - but I don't see why she should be sacked from the BBC for it. Does it affect her ability to be a good radio presenter? No. If she'd been racist on the air, that'd be a different story entirely. As it is, this is just PC pandering.

Fothsn · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:37

Hmmmm yet another story blown out of proportion and to lose her job over it? Come-on what this country coming to!! :rolleyes:

DB_SamX · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:40

Azagoth said:
Then again, how do we know that her young Daughter or one of her friends hasn't had a nasty experience, like being raped, by an "Asian" guy before?

Is there her side of the story anywhere? Maybe it'll appear in a tabloid soon...