By IPS Correspondents
VIENNA, Mar 31 2003 (IPS)

The International Press Institute (IPI) said on Monday it condemns attempts by British ministers to – undermine" the Iraq war TV coverage of the public broadcasting corporation BBC.

The IPI, an Austrian-based worldwide association of top media representatives, said British government ministers had repeatedly criticized the BBC for – distorting" public opinion about the war.

They had accused the BBC of not properly distinguishing between the coalition forces and the Iraqi regime, thus putting them on the same level morally.

In a reaction, IPI director Johann P. Fritz stressed that the BBC had ôthe right, as well as the absolute duty, to report on this war". It was essential for the TV viewing public that they received a multitude of views in order to understand what was happening in Iraq.

Fritz admonished the politicians that it was ôwrong and irresponsible" to criticize media during a war ôonly because they don’t like what is on their television screens".

He said that the British government must accept that not the politicians, but those responsible in the broadcasting company, were best suited to decide what was news and what not.

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