Over 230 members of the media industry, including more than 100 BBC employees, have signed a letter to BBC Director General Tim Davie accusing the BBC of being biased in its coverage of Israel's war in Gaza.
The signatories called on the BBC to implement editorial commitments including “reiterating that Israel does not give external journalists access to Gaza; making it clear when there is insufficient evidence to back up Israeli claims; making clear where Israel is the perpetrator in article headlines; including regular historical context predating October 2023; and robustly challenging Israeli government and military representatives in all interviews.”
Key points from the letter to enhance the BBC’s commitment to unbiased and comprehensive reporting on the Gaza conflict:
✯ Recommitment to Editorial Standards: The letter urges the BBC to adhere to its principles of fairness, accuracy, and impartiality in its Gaza coverage.
✯ Transparency on Access Limitations: It calls for the BBC to clearly state when Israel restricts journalist access to Gaza.
✯ Evidence-Based Reporting: The letter emphasises the need for the BBC to highlight when there is insufficient evidence to support Israeli claims.
✯ Clear Attribution in Headlines: It suggests that headlines should explicitly mention Israel as the perpetrator when applicable.
✯ Historical Context: The letter recommends including regular historical context predating October 2023 in reports.
✯ Robust Interviewing: It calls for more rigorous questioning of Israeli government and military representatives in interviews.
Employees say ‘Israel must be held to account for its actions’ and that failing to do so dehumanises Palestinians.
