Broadcasters fight for Benn's Saddam scoop

Broadcasters fight for Benn's Saddam scoop

The BBC, ITV news and Channel 4 are battling to buy Tony Benn's interview w=
ith Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein despite the strict editorial condition that=
they must broadcast it unedited.
The hour-long interview is the first the Iraqi leader has granted a western=
figure in 12 years.

The meeting between President Saddam and the 77-year-old politician and pea=
ce campaigner was filmed by an official Iraqi television crew on Sunday.

It has been put up for sale by the recently launched Arab Television Networ=
k and will be made available to any TV station that agrees to show it in it=
s entirety.

The BBC said it was "in discussions with Mr Benn" concerning the film, whil=
e ITV news said it was chasing the interview and was very keen to broadcast=
it.

Channel 4 is also interested but a Channel 5 spokeswoman said: "We're not l=
ooking into it at all."

President Saddam went over the heads of hostile world leaders to grant the =
rare audience to the former Labour MP.

The interview will be the first time western viewers have been able to hear=
the Iraqi leader's views on the looming war and the events leading up to i=
t.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,888268,00.html