3 November 2024
100 BBC staffers condemn pro Israel BBC bias
A letter denouncing how broadcasters like the BBC have covered Gaza. Now signed by 255 journalism industry professionals and concerned parties - including editors, actors, and media lecturers.
We, the undersigned – a group of diverse industry professionals and concerned parties – are dismayed at the lack of consistently fair and accurate evidence-based journalism in coverage of Gaza across impartial broadcasters (“BBC staff accuse broadcaster of Israel bias in Gaza coverage”, Friday 1 November).
Organisations like the BBC, ITV and Sky enjoy high levels of public trust. These outlets all have a heightened duty to fearlessly follow the evidence, and paint an accurate picture.
The BBC, in particular, is licence fee-funded, and the erosion of its own editorial standards has put its impartiality and independence at serious risk. Basic journalistic tenets have been lacking when it comes to holding Israel to account for its actions.
We, as a group of largely industry professionals, want to see the best possible journalism coming out of the region and ask these broadcasters for accuracy across the board, including, but not limited to: reiterating that Israel does not give external journalists access to Gaza, making it clear when there is insufficient evidence to back up Israeli claims, highlighting the extent to which Israeli sources are reliable, making clear where Israel is the perpetrator in article headlines, providing proportionate representation of experts in war crimes and crimes against humanity, including regular historical context predating October 2023, use of consistent language when discussing both Israeli and Palestinian deaths, and robustly challenging Israeli government and military representatives in all interviews.
Many of us have raised concerns across organisations via the appropriate channels, to no avail.
Israel has now killed at least tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023, including over a hundred Palestinian journalists reporting on the ground. We are appalled to see the same editorial failings repeated across news organisations over a year since this onslaught began, and are dismayed at the targeting of journalists who have either robustly challenged Israel on air, or raised concerns over the quality of coverage.
The consequences of inadequate coverage are significant. Every television report, article and radio interview that has failed to robustly challenge Israeli claims has systematically dehumanised Palestinians.
We now ask broadcasters to recommit to the highest editorial standards – with emphasis on fairness, accuracy and due impartiality – and to exhibit the editorial bravery we have seen in other story areas. Israel must be held to account for its actions, without fear or favour.
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Conservative peer; William Dalrymple, historian; Juliet Stevenson, actor; Dr Catherine Happer, director of the Glasgow University Media Group; Rizwana Hamid, director at the Centre for Media Monitoring; John Nicolson, broadcaster.
PUBLIC NAMES
Ahmed Alnaouq - Journalist, Founder of We Are Not Numbers
Arthur Sharples - Producer
Aysha Rafaele - Filmmaker
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi - Peer, Former UK Foreign Minister, Author, Broadcaster
Bircan Bircol - Filmmaker
Chris Doyle - Director, CAABU (Council for Arab-British Understanding)
Dr Aasiya Lodhi - Senior Lecturer in Media and Journalism, former BBC staff, University of Westminster
Dr Alison Eldridge - University of Glasgow Media Group
Dr Ana Cristina Suzina - Lecturer in Media and Creative Industries, Loughborough University London
Dr Ashli Mullen - Sociologist, Glasgow University
Dr Burçe Çelik - Reader in Communication and Media, Loughborough University
Dr Catherine Happer - Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Director of Glasgow University Media Group
Dr Catherine Rottenberg - Professor at Department of Media, Communications and Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths University of London
Dr Des Freedman - Professor of Media and Communications Studies, Goldsmiths University of London
Dr Feryal Awan - Lecturer in Media and Postcolonial Studies, University College London (UCL)
Dr Gholam Khiabany - Reader in Media and Communications, Goldsmiths University of London
Dr John Brissenden - Senior Lecturer, School of Media and Communication, University of Westminster
Dr Kirsteen Paton - Sociologist, Glasgow University
Dr Lluis de Nadal Alsina - Lecturer in Media, Culture & Society, University of Glasgow Media Group
Dr Marcela Pizarro Coloma - Department of Media Communications and Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths University of London
Dr Mike Berry - Reader at Cardiff University School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies
Dr Milly Williamson - Department of Media Communications and Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths University of London
Dr Miriyam Aouragh - Professor at School of Media and Communication, University of Westminster
Dr Myriam Francois - Presenter, Director
Dr Natalie Fenton - Professor of Media and Communications, Goldsmiths University of London
Dr Paul Reilly - Senior Lecturer in Communications, Media and Democracy, Glasgow University Media Group
Dr Peter Goodwin - School of Media and Communication, University of Westminster
Dr Pieter Verdegem - Reader in Technology and Society, University of Westminster
Dr Simon Douglass - Retired General Practitioner
Dr Tom Mills - Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Aston University, Chair of the Media Reform Coalition
Dr Yasmin Fedda - Senior Lecturer in Film at Queen Mary University of London, Film Director
Dr Zahera Harb - International Journalism Studies Cluster Lead in the Department of Journalism, City University of London
Elias Jahshan - Social Media Editor, The New Arab
Emre Azizlerli - Former Senior Journalist, BBC World Service
Farah Nabulsi - Filmmaker
Farah Qayum - Producer, Director
Fatima Salaria - Freelance Executive Producer
Hamza Syed - Co-Host of The Trojan Horse Affair, Founder of Break The News
Hanna Flint - Journalist
Helena Wadia - Host, Media Storm Podcast
Imran Atcha - LLB
Jacqueline Carr Taylor - LLB
James Grieg - Political Editor, Dazed
Jasleen Kaur Sethi - Producer, Director
Jessica Kelly - Journalist, Filmmaker
Jim Wilson - Film Producer
John Nicolson - Journalist, Broadcaster, Former SNP Westminster Culture and Media Spokesperson
Joseph Willits - Head of Parliamentary Affairs, CAABU (Council for Arab-British Understanding)
Juliet Stevenson - Actor
Karl Hansen - Co-Editor, Tribune Magazine
Khalid Abdalla - Actor
Leo Fawkes - Producer, Director
Lina Hadid Esq. - International Lawyer
Marwan Shamiyeh - Opera Singer
Marisca Mulder - Opera Singer
Masood Khan - Journalist
Mathila Mallinson - Host, Media Storm Podcast
Megumi Inman - Producer, Director
Mehreen Baig - Broadcaster
Monisha Rajesh - Author, Journalist
Moya Lothian Mclean - Journalist
Nancy Roberts - Producer
Nancy Strang - Production Executive
Naomi Larsson Piñeda - Commissioning Editor, Hyphen
Nigel Parry - Journalist, Editor
Nina Robinson - CEO and Founder, Soundtruism
Omar Al-Ghazzi - Associate Professor, Department of Media and Communications, London School of Economics (LSE)
Omar Robert Hamilton - Writer
Owen Jones - Journalist
Peter Jukes - Executive Editor, Byline Times
Poppy Jay - Broadcaster
Richard Sanders - Freelance TV Director
Rivkah Brown - Commissioning Editor and Reporter, Novara Media
Rizwana Hamid - Director, Centre for Media Monitoring
Robyn Probyn - Cinematographer
Sana Saeed - Media Critic, Former AJ+ Presenter
Sarah Agha - Actor, Broadcaster
Saskia Rusher - Producer, Director
Sharan Dhaliwal - Journalist, Founder of Burnt Roti
Steffan Mattison - Producer, Director
Stephen Sheriff - Documentary Filmmaker
Steve LeFevre - Sound Technician
Steve Richards - Columnist, Broadcaster
Taj Ali - Former Co-Editor, Tribune Magazine
Ugla Jónsdóttir - Journalist, Author
William Dalrymple - Historian
Zahra Hankir - Journalist, Editor
Zozan Yasar - Journalist, Researcher
ANONYMOUS NAMES
167.
Any journalism industry professionals or concerned parties who would still like to add their names, publicly or anonymously, can email letterforgaza@protonmail.com. Additional signatures are very welcome.