Jump to content

"Controversy Surrounds BBC Arabic's Coverage of Israel-Gaza Conflict"


Recommended Posts

image.png

 

In recent developments, the BBC is facing accusations of failing to properly investigate complaints of anti-Israel bias in its Arabic outlet's coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Critics argue that the broadcaster may be breaching its own guidelines by allegedly ignoring or inadequately addressing complaints about BBC Arabic's reporting.

 

Camera UK, an organization dedicated to promoting fair and accurate coverage of Israel in the British media, has submitted 33 complaints regarding BBC Arabic's output since the October 7 attacks by Hamas. The complaints range from issues with terminology to concerns about the accuracy and impartiality of the coverage.

 

Among the contentious points raised is the delayed or lack of response to the complaints by the BBC. Of the 33 complaints submitted by Camera UK, 18 reportedly went unanswered or had responses overdue. Only a handful were answered within the corporation's stipulated deadline of 10 working days. Such delays have raised questions about the responsiveness and accountability of BBC Arabic to external reviews.

 

Camera UK is now urging a parliamentary inquiry to investigate the matter and hold the BBC responsible for upholding basic standards of accuracy and impartiality. Conservative peer Lord Polak supports this call, emphasizing the need for an independent inquiry into the BBC's coverage of the Israeli-Hamas conflict and its handling of related complaints.

 

Critics have pointed out specific instances of concern, such as the use of terminology like "settlers" in reference to Jewish communities within Israel's internationally recognized borders. While corrections are made, they allege that the BBC's responses to the complaints are often delayed.

 

One notable case involves a BBC Arabic program that questioned the veracity of the Hamas massacre at Kfar Aza kibbutz. The program suggested differing versions of the story and implied that Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen was merely repeating information provided by Israeli forces. Camera UK contends that the BBC's response to the complaint was due 12 weeks ago, and no public apology has been issued.

 

In response to these allegations, the BBC has rejected accusations of bias, maintaining that it takes complaints seriously and endeavors to respond in a timely manner. The network asserts that BBC News Arabic adheres to the same editorial guidelines and standards as other BBC News outlets. As calls for a parliamentary inquiry grow, the controversy surrounding BBC Arabic's coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict continues to raise questions about media accountability and journalistic standards.

 

29.01.24

Source

 

image.png

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.







×
×
  • Create New...