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Web consultant Tim Ireland is leading his own defence of the BBC with a website and campaign that has attracted more than 25,000 visitors this year.

The 'I back the BBC' campaign was launched on 29 January to act as an unofficial focus point for those who wanted to defend the corporation.

The BBC came under heavy criticism following the Hutton report earlier this year, and is also facing growing pressure from commercial competitors unhappy with the way the corporation is funded.

The site acts as a resource for news about the recent problems faced by the BBC, but also invites the public to comment.

"Many people see many flaws, but they still believe in the importance of retaining this uniquely funded institution," Mr Ireland told dotJournalism.

The site also carries the 'I back the BBC' logo which can be downloaded for use on other sites. Around 300 people have used the logo so far.

"It's a powerful but simple statement tied to a brand that a lot of people have strong feelings for. Even if you don't click on it, the button delivers a strong message of solidarity," he said.

Building a strong network of links also increases the site's ratings in search engines, explained Mr Ireland.

"Now people searching for information on Rupert Murdoch and why he is so hostile to the BBC will find this page first.

"He's got his massive media networks - we have our little web pages."

The site has had significant traffic from around the world, said Mr Ireland, because treatment of the BBC will act as an indicator for public service broadcasting internationally.

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See also:
http://www.bloggerheads.com
http://www.interwebnet.org
http://www.mediatenor.com/Iraq/sld006.htm
http://media.guardian.co.uk/bbc/story/0,7521,991216,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm

Tags (click tag to find related articles; click icon for feed):
bbc | iraq | search engines | html | little web pages | massive media networks |

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