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Old Dec 16, 2023, 4:46 am
  #1  
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BA decides not to show sitcom featuring Jews

I find this very odd….

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business...jewish-sitcom/British Airways has paused plans to stream a Jewish sitcom on its flights owing to alleged concerns it could trigger a backlash in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

The airline delayed plans to add the comedy series Hapless, which has been shown on Netflix and Amazon Prime, to its in-flight entertainment system to avoid any appearance of taking sides in the ongoing conflict.

The satire follows misadventures of a London-based cynical journalist for a fictional Jewish newspaper and has been called the British version of the US sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm.

British Airways in August agreed to buy the first season with plans to make it available for passengers to watch for six months from December.

However, the airline paused the Ł20,000 deal just days after the Hamas terrorist attack against Israel on Oct 7.

Gary Sinyor, the writer and director, was informed of the decision by Spafax Media, an international media specialist hired by airlines to secure licensing rights to movies and television shows for in-flight entertainment.
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Old Dec 16, 2023, 4:51 am
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Originally Posted by HFHFFlyer
I find this very odd….

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business...jewish-sitcom/British Airways has paused plans to stream a Jewish sitcom on its flights owing to alleged concerns it could trigger a backlash in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

The airline delayed plans to add the comedy series Hapless, which has been shown on Netflix and Amazon Prime, to its in-flight entertainment system to avoid any appearance of taking sides in the ongoing conflict.

The satire follows misadventures of a London-based cynical journalist for a fictional Jewish newspaper and has been called the British version of the US sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm.

British Airways in August agreed to buy the first season with plans to make it available for passengers to watch for six months from December.

However, the airline paused the Ł20,000 deal just days after the Hamas terrorist attack against Israel on Oct 7.

Gary Sinyor, the writer and director, was informed of the decision by Spafax Media, an international media specialist hired by airlines to secure licensing rights to movies and television shows for in-flight entertainment.
Speechless.......maybe they can replace it with a documentary narrated by Jeremy Bowen
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Old Dec 16, 2023, 5:13 am
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I really hope there's more to this than it indicates - dangerous leaping to conclusions based on one article - but if not, wow.
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Old Dec 16, 2023, 10:00 am
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Not sure whether this is for BA in the Media, OMNI, or this thread - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business...jewish-sitcom/

BA were meant to take a tv show about a fictional Jewish family but paused the contract after the 7th October attacks (when flights stopped).

M
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Old Dec 16, 2023, 2:28 pm
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Originally Posted by msm2000uk
Not sure whether this is for BA in the Media, OMNI, or this thread - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business...jewish-sitcom/

BA were meant to take a tv show about a fictional Jewish family but paused the contract after the 7th October attacks (when flights stopped).

M
Hi msm2000uk

It's been posted already just a few posts above yours (#314)

Pete
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Old Dec 16, 2023, 3:22 pm
  #6  
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Originally Posted by PETER01
Hi msm2000uk

It's been posted already just a few posts above yours (#314)

Pete
Thanks Pete.

Saw that once the Mods had moved it to this thread.

I'm reliably informed (by those who know) that the decision from BA is being reversed.

M
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Old Dec 16, 2023, 5:20 pm
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Originally Posted by msm2000uk
Thanks Pete.

Saw that once the Mods had moved it to this thread.

I'm reliably informed (by those who know) that the decision from BA is being reversed.

M
I’m very glad to hear it! There’s enough antisemitism around already without it being on our national flag carrier.
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Old Dec 18, 2023, 8:17 am
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Here's the quote from Spafax:

BA Press office have asked us to review content on board and being booked in relation to Israel/Palestine and the conflict currently happening. Their preference is to remain as neutral in these situations as possible.

As a result we’ve been asked to remove Hapless from the December line-up but are very happy to book this once the conflict dies down.
So if I'm understanding it correctly, they believe that a comedy show about a Jewish family in London is somehow related to the conflict, but they are happy to keep airing a comedy show about a Muslim family in the US (Americanish). What's the word you'd use to describe this?
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Old Dec 18, 2023, 9:35 am
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From the paywalled Telegraph report:

British Airways has apologised for causing “hurt and upset” after pausing plans to show a Jewish sitcom on its flights.

The airline had intended to add comedy series Hapless, which has appeared on Netflix and Amazon Prime, to its inflight entertainment earlier this month but delayed plans over fears of appearing to take sides in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

However, British Airways today changed course again and on Monday said that the series will appear on its flights early next year.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business...tcom-decision/
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Old Dec 19, 2023, 4:32 am
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BA decides not to show sitcom featuring Jews

https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/british-airways-sorry-for-not-showing-jewish-sitcom-in-planes-due-to-war/

At least they’ve now apologised and reversed the decision but, whatever your thoughts on the Israel/Hamas war, it is textbook antisemitism to hold Jews accountable for the actions of the Israeli government.

Whoever made this decision needs their wider conduct examining….
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Old Dec 19, 2023, 4:37 am
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Deplorable initial decision - presumably signed off by several people. Terrible.
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Old Dec 19, 2023, 5:40 am
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This is about antisemitism at BA. BA in the media rather undermines the seriousness of the issue.
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Old Dec 19, 2023, 5:41 am
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Yes, a very poor initial decision on the face of it - I wonder if there is any mitigation in the content of this show? Does any of it fly close to the wind in terms of the present circumstances?
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Old Dec 19, 2023, 6:18 am
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Originally Posted by giblet
Here's the quote from Spafax:



So if I'm understanding it correctly, they believe that a comedy show about a Jewish family in London is somehow related to the conflict, but they are happy to keep airing a comedy show about a Muslim family in the US (Americanish). What's the word you'd use to describe this?
The sitcom is of a similar vibe Curb Your Enthusiasm and Alan Partridge, apparently. If this is the case (I've not watched it- great publicity for the programme though!) it would fair to say that the lead protagonist doesn't exactly come across as a competent and intelligent person. So I can see why BA would be wanting to shy away from any controversy.

The same people whining in the Telegraph about 'anti-semitism' in the decision not to show it would, donuts to dollars, be instead whining that showing a programme based on the travails of a gormless Jewish journalist was 'anti-semitic'. Sometimes you just can't win.

M&S recently got absolutely roasted because they showed someone throwing red and green party hats into a fire, for goodness sake.
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Old Dec 19, 2023, 6:22 am
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Originally Posted by Scots_Al
Yes, a very poor initial decision on the face of it - I wonder if there is any mitigation in the content of this show? Does any of it fly close to the wind in terms of the present circumstances?
As I've said in the other thread, I've not seen it but all the media reviews suggest that the lead protagonist is very much of the Alan Partridge/Larry David school. Showing a sitcom based on an idiotic Jewish lead character would attract just as much criticism from the Daily Telegraph sorts as not showing a sitcom based on an idiotic Jewish lead character.
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