BBC Chairman Calls For a Thorough Review of Israel-Hamas War Bias

[Social Media]

 

Samir Shah, chairman of the BBC, has called for a thorough review of the broadcaster's coverage of the Israel-Hamas war amid accusations of bias. Speaking to the House of Lords’ communications and digital committee, Shah suggested a “systematic analysis” of the BBC’s reporting on the Middle East conflict should be conducted. He also proposed making the war the subject of the BBC’s “next thematic review,” a comprehensive process that could take up to two years to complete. Previous thematic reviews by the BBC have examined its reporting on topics such as tax and migration.

 

Shah’s remarks came in the wake of a critical report alleging that the BBC displayed a “deeply worrying pattern of bias” against Israel and breached its own editorial guidelines over 1,500 times during its coverage of the conflict in Gaza.

 

 

Addressing the committee alongside BBC director-general Tim Davie, Shah emphasized the importance of scrutinizing the BBC’s approach to covering the Middle East conflict, noting that it has long been a source of significant public concern. “In my time [at the BBC], and I’ve been in it for 40 years, this is one thing that has really resulted in lots and lots of concern on all sides,” Shah said. “I think it’s the duty of the Board, because we play such a role in reporting Middle East conflict to the world, that we do take time out and do an analysis review of that coverage.”

 

The controversy stems from an analysis led by lawyer Trevor Asserson, which examined four months of the BBC’s output across television, radio, online news, podcasts, and social media, beginning on October 7. The report accused the BBC of consistently downplaying Hamas terrorism while portraying Israel as an aggressive, militaristic nation. The findings have prompted calls for an independent review from Danny Cohen, a former BBC executive, and two leading Jewish organizations, the Campaign Against Antisemitism and the National Jewish Assembly.

 

Responding to the report, the BBC said it would “carefully consider” the findings but raised concerns about the methodology used in Asserson’s analysis. Tim Davie, addressing the committee, defended the BBC’s journalists, highlighting the difficult conditions under which they work. “I want to reassure people that journalists are doing an outstanding job under the most ferocious pressure, the personal pressure, the lobbying, with reports from both sides,” Davie said.

 

Regarding the Asserson report, Davie emphasized the BBC’s commitment to addressing all complaints: “Every complaint that comes in, and this is where I do dispute what’s written, is taken seriously.”

 

The debate over the BBC’s coverage highlights the broader challenges faced by media outlets in reporting on complex international conflicts, particularly those as polarizing as the Israel-Hamas war. As the BBC considers its next steps, the calls for transparency and accountability in its coverage are likely to continue.

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-09-13

 

 

 

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[thesetat2013]

Someone needs to do this to the US networks about elections. Pathetically biased. 

 

It does not surprise me there is biased reporting done on the Hamas/Israel war. The governments want to justify their participation and aid they provide to show it is justified.. 

[Kinok Farang]

Even the most dim witted idiot can see that the BBC is an overtly biased company.The average Brit has no time for this leftie news coverage and saw through them years ago.

[retarius]

I would have said the BBC is overtly biased toward Israel. To mention the many vile atrocities of Israel is somehow anathema to the BBC. Last week or so, the Beeb published the story about 6 Israeli hostages who had been killed and then recovered inn Israeli raid. They gave front page cover to the story with photos of each victim, and a bio about each one of a paragraph in length. Contrast this to the recent bombing of a school by Israel....14 dead including some UN workers, and not a mention of the victims names or bios. 

[koolkarl]

Sounds like the chairman of BBC is a Muslim.  It is astonishing how many news outlets are pro terrorists. 

[Patong2021]

8 minutes ago, retarius said:

I would have said the BBC is overtly biased toward Israel. To mention the many vile atrocities of Israel is somehow anathema to the BBC. Last week or so, the Beeb published the story about 6 Israeli hostages who had been killed and then recovered inn Israeli raid. They gave front page cover to the story with photos of each victim, and a bio about each one of a paragraph in length. Contrast this to the recent bombing of a school by Israel....14 dead including some UN workers, and not a mention of the victims names or bios. 

 

And you have just demonstrated  bias in your statements, relying on what you believe is credible. Let's review;

 

6 Dead Hostages: They were executed, murdered in cold blood. They had been kept in a place without fresh air  where they could not stand  at least a month. There were no washing facilities and they had to use a bucket for a lavatory. The initial medical exam showed  that the  deceased hostages had serious bruising, lacerations, contusions and were malnourished. The entrance shaft to the tunnel complex was through a child's bedroom, in a house. The walls of the bedroom were decorated with Disney characters painted on the walls above the 20-meter-deep shaft.

 

School Building bombed: The building was not being used as a school. It stopped being  used as a school  months ago. Calling it a school conjures up an image of a non militarized structure populated by non combatant children. That was not the case.  The location is used as a  shelter site,  hosting an estimated 12,000 people.  Hamas uses locations such as this to conceal munitions storage and as command and control sites. This has occurred in the past and been proven.

Israel said that it used a directed missile strike to take out the command and control site. It will have to provide evidence, but it usually does within a few days and the evidence is typically damning. Calling this strike an "atrocity" is hyperbole. A strike on a location such as this is  legally allowed so long as the deaths of non combatants is proportional. In a location  of 12,000 only 14 were killed. It remains to be seen how many were Hamas personnel. Yes some  UNWRA contract workers  lost their lives too. It also is to be determined if they were also Hamas  affiliated militants. It has already been established that multiple UN  workers participated in the attack on Israel of October 7.

The names and bios of the deceased have not been provided by Hamas. They typically do not  admit to the deaths of their personnel and will substitute other names and/or bodies.

[JonnyF]

It's no surprise that a leftist organization like the BBC would be pro Palestine.

 

Let them do their little investigation. Let them pay lip service. Nothing will change.

 

It needs to be defunded. There's a cost of living crisis, people have other things to spend money on other than this state funded leftist propaganda machine.  

[JCauto]

1 hour ago, retarius said:

I would have said the BBC is overtly biased toward Israel. To mention the many vile atrocities of Israel is somehow anathema to the BBC. Last week or so, the Beeb published the story about 6 Israeli hostages who had been killed and then recovered inn Israeli raid. They gave front page cover to the story with photos of each victim, and a bio about each one of a paragraph in length. Contrast this to the recent bombing of a school by Israel....14 dead including some UN workers, and not a mention of the victims names or bios. 

 

"I would say that I am heavily biased against Israel so when a study comes out that is contrary to my beliefs I am willing to completely ignore the conclusions and start throwing whataboutisms and strawmen out there to counter it. Look at what an objective and rational person I am!"

[JCauto]

And for the various pro-Hamas "aNti-ZiOniSTs", consider this:

https://imams.org/gic-statement-on-the-execution-of-hostages-by-hamas-terrorists/

 

Just a taste:
 

"The targeting and brutalization of civilians, especially those who are defenseless and held against their will, are acts of unmitigated evil. These actions represent a gross violation of the sacred laws of conflict as ordained by all major faith traditions, including Islam, which categorically prohibit the harming of innocents. Furthermore, these atrocities contravene international humanitarian laws, including the Geneva Conventions, which are designed to protect civilians during times of war.

 

We hold Hamas directly responsible for the deaths and suffering of all innocent lives lost since October 7, as their actions have not only brought death and destruction upon the region but have also led to immense suffering for the Palestinian people. Hamas’s reckless and inhumane tactics, using civilians as shields and exploiting their plight, have only escalated the cycle of violence and undermined the cause of justice and peace.

 

Moreover, we recognize that the regime in Iran shares equal responsibility for these tragedies, as its continued support and endorsement of Hamas’s actions perpetuate violence and instability in the region."

 

Get it yet? You're literally a tool...of the Hamas terrorists. Stop your hateful anti-semitism.

[mikeymike100]

1 hour ago, Kinok Farang said:

Even the most dim witted idiot can see that the BBC is an overtly biased company.The average Brit has no time for this leftie news coverage and saw through them years ago.

Correct, but they seem to be getting much worse, this Israel-Hamas war is only the tip of the iceberg,  almost very 'story' they cover now, they are clearly so far left, they are almost tipping over!

[JonnyF]

6 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

Correct, but they seem to be getting much worse, this Israel-Hamas war is only the tip of the iceberg,  almost very 'story' they cover now, they are clearly so far left, they are almost tipping over!

 

On the rare occasion I visit their website, I do so not to get the news, but to laugh at their twisting of the stories. Often the headline is very misleading, especially when Israel/Hamas stories are featured and it is always erring to make Palestine look like the victim (Hamas "freedom fighters" for example). 

 

Of course, to get there I normally have to scroll down a couple of pages to get past the climate alarmism stories, and the plethora of "interest" pieces about how one legged non binary people in Venezula are fighting back against the patriarchy etc. 

 

It's difficult to work out whether it is satire sometimes. 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

On the rare occasion I visit their website, I do so not to get the news, but to laugh at their twisting of the stories. Often the headline is very misleading,

Like this from The Telegraph:

 

Headline: “BBC Chairman Calls For a Thorough Review of Israel-Hamas War Bias”

 

Report: “ Samir Shah, chairman of the BBC, has called for a thorough review of the broadcaster's coverage of the Israel-Hamas war amid accusations of bias.“

 

 

 

[Kinok Farang]

4 hours ago, koolkarl said:

Sounds like the chairman of BBC is a Muslim.  It is astonishing how many news outlets are pro terrorists. 

Indian,thank god.If he was Muslim he would be pleading the other way.

[JonnyF]

26 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Like this from The Telegraph:

 

Headline: “BBC Chairman Calls For a Thorough Review of Israel-Hamas War Bias”

 

Report: “ Samir Shah, chairman of the BBC, has called for a thorough review of the broadcaster's coverage of the Israel-Hamas war amid accusations of bias.“

 

 

 

 

I wasn't aware that The Telegraph was a publicly funded state broadcaster with strict guidelines on impartiality. 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, JonnyF said:

 

I wasn't aware that The Telegraph was a publicly funded state broadcaster with strict guidelines on impartiality. 

I wasn’t aware ‘allegations’ are established facts.

 

 

[JonnyF]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I wasn’t aware ‘allegations’ are established facts.

 

 

 

The difference, as you are well aware is that the BBC is a publicly funded state broadcaster that has responsibility and strict guidelines to be impartial.

 

The Telegraph is not. It is a newspaper and clearly leans right in the same way The Guardian clearly leans left. It has no responsibility to be politically impartial. 

 

This particular attempt at whataboutery is weak, even by your standards. 

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, JonnyF said:

 

The difference, as you are well aware is that the BBC is a publicly funded state broadcaster that has responsibility and strict guidelines to be impartial.

 

The Telegraph is not. It is a newspaper and clearly leans right in the same way The Guardian clearly leans left. It has no responsibility to be politically impartial. 

 

This particular attempt at whataboutery is weak, even by your standards. 

It’s not whataboutary Jonny, the article that comprises the OP is from (brace yourself), The Telegraph.

 

 

[JonnyF]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s not whataboutary Jonny, the article that comprises the OP is from (brace yourself), The Telegraph.

 

 

 

The article is credited to The Telegraph. 

 

The headline that you object to is from Aseannow.

 

Neither are state funded broadcasters with strict guidelines on impartiality. This thread is about the BBC.

 

 

[Rimmer]

A troll post has been removed, if you don't like ASEAN NOW free news offerings then don't read it.

 

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Like this from The Telegraph:

 

Headline: “BBC Chairman Calls For a Thorough Review of Israel-Hamas War Bias”

 

Report: “ Samir Shah, chairman of the BBC, has called for a thorough review of the broadcaster's coverage of the Israel-Hamas war amid accusations of bias.“

 

 

 

 

The headline was not from The Telegraph. 

[Blue Muton]

Source is hardly unbiased nor objective:

 

Trevor Asserson is a British lawyer specialising in litigation. He is the founder and Senior Partner at Asserson Law Offices. A member of the Law Society, Asserson is active as a lawyer within the Jewish Community in the UK and Israel. He is based in Jerusalem, Israel.

[Bkk Brian]

From Danny Cohen, previously the Director of BBC Television

 

“I think there’s institutional bias at play…That’s why it keeps happening. Mistakes happen once, perhaps twice, but when they keep happening you have to ask why. I think there are institutional biases.” He added: “What’s clear to me is there is an ongoing issue with anti-Israel bias that there appears to be an inability to control.”

 

Cohen called for an independent inquiry into antisemitism and anti-Israel bias at the BBC. “On a daily basis Britain’s Jews are being harmed through its unbalanced reporting of the Israel-Hamas war and the failure of its senior management to get to grips with it,” he wrote. “This means that the time has now come for a long overdue independent inquiry into the corporation’s editorial and management failures in its reporting of Israel.”

[WDSmart]

What's needed is no Israeli bias and no Palestinian bias but a two-state solution bias. Both parties are guilty of horrible crimes, and both want complete control of the area that used to be called Palestine. They will have to be forced into agreeing to a two-state solution by allies from both sides. 

[simple1]

6 hours ago, koolkarl said:

Sounds like the chairman of BBC is a Muslim.  It is astonishing how many news outlets are pro terrorists. 

 

Actually his background is Hinduism. However, your claim is truly stupid, the BBC  Chairmans would undergo massive vetting process. I don't know of any credible media outlet as pro Islamic terror, so educate me and list them - Lol

[Social Media]

Off topic misinformation post on the legalities of civilian deaths in war has been removed. 

[placeholder]

Strange that the article didn't mention that Trevor Anderson, is a British Israeli lawyer.

https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-the-british-israeli-lawyer-holding-the-bbc-to-account-1001463725

So why should we accept his assessment at face value?

 

[roquefort]

4 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Like this from The Telegraph:

 

Headline: “BBC Chairman Calls For a Thorough Review of Israel-Hamas War Bias”

 

Report: “ Samir Shah, chairman of the BBC, has called for a thorough review of the broadcaster's coverage of the Israel-Hamas war amid accusations of bias.“

 

 

 

Pretty feeble whataboutery

[Chomper Higgot]

9 minutes ago, roquefort said:

Pretty feeble whataboutery

Again, not whataboutary.

 

Refer source of article above.

[Nick Carter icp]

2 hours ago, WDSmart said:

What's needed is no Israeli bias and no Palestinian bias but a two-state solution bias. Both parties are guilty of horrible crimes, and both want complete control of the area that used to be called Palestine. They will have to be forced into agreeing to a two-state solution by allies from both sides. 

 

   This thread is about allegations of Biased in BBC reports , this isn't a thread to solve the Palestinian problem .

  Th problem about how to deal with the land that used to be called Judea before it was changed to Palestina Syria to punish the Jews living there can be dealt with elsewhere 

[coolcarer]

1 hour ago, placeholder said:

Strange that the article didn't mention that Trevor Anderson, is a British Israeli lawyer.

https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-the-british-israeli-lawyer-holding-the-bbc-to-account-1001463725

So why should we accept his assessment at face value?

 

You missed the first topic on this yesterday then........

 

A recent report has accused the BBC of violating its editorial guidelines more than 1,500 times during its coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, revealing a pattern of alleged bias against Israel. The investigation, led by British lawyer Trevor Asserson, analyzed four months of BBC content across various platforms, including television, radio, online news, podcasts, and social media.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1337643-bbc-accused-of-bias-in-israel-hamas-coverage-over-1500-breaches-of-guidelines/