Monday, 7 August, 2006

By Emily Maitlis
Presenter, BBC Newsnight

Presented by Emily Maitlis

Propaganda

If Gulf War 1 marked the first time we watched real conflict in real time on rolling news, perhaps the current conflict will go down in history as the first time The Bloggers, critical of the mainstream media, have successfully challenged the images and coverage that have emerged from Lebanon and Israel.

A Reuters freelance photographer has now been fired from his job after some revealed he had doctored pictures of Beirut in the aftermath of an airstrike. Tonight we examine the propaganda war - what are we not seeing from both sides and how is the censorship affecting our perception overall.

Who is telling the truth? Tell us what you think here.

UN

The seven point plan may sound like an enticement to Alcoholics Anonymous Lite. But tonight we'll try and discuss amendments to the UN resolution without driving you to drink.

Can any changes be subtle enough to keep Israel onboard but substantial enough to win over the Lebanese and Hezbollah? An Arab League team is now heading to New York to put forward their own wording. We'll be testing you on PP3 OP3 not to mention the fun-sounding OP13. But fear not.

ITV

'Is Pammy Preggars?' screams the ITV website, about the former Baywatch Babe.

We're not able to answer that with any certainty tonight, but we can wonder whether its Chief Executive Charles Allan has a little news of his own to break. He is widely expected to resign this evening.

ITV has been losing viewers hand over foot in recent months. Did it fail to strike the technology iron whilst it was hot? Is the fact its Love Island has ended up in need of marriage counselling symptomatic or a root cause?

What a mayor

And finally, the Tories seem to be having a little trouble finding a suitable candidate to take on Ken Livingstone in London and indeed trouble inspiring it's much touted A-list candidates to even apply for any seats. Has Green Dave lost his Midas touch?

Nick Ferrari - the bookies favourite to be Tory mayoral candidate - says he gets on well with Mr Cameron but doesn't really know what he stands for.

He's coming into see us tonight. He's said if he stands he wants to be his own man, even if it means speaking his mind, causing offence and antagonising his party leader. Hmm where have you heard that before?