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.