Over 100 BBC Staff Accuse Broadcaster of “Censorship” and “Anti-Palestinian Racism” in Israel’s Gaza Genocide Coverage
London (Quds News Network)- More than 100 employees, along with 300 media industry figures, have written to BBC leadership, accusing the broadcaster of “censorship” and “anti-Palestinian racism” in covering Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
In a letter, published in Deadline, over 100 BBC employees have written to director general Tim Davie to complain about the corporation becoming a mouthpiece for Israel.
“All too often it has felt that the BBC has been performing PR for the Israeli government and military. This should be a cause of great shame and concern for everyone at the BBC,” the letter said.
The letter said content creators at the corporation have “experienced censorship in the name of impartiality.” It added some insiders had been “accused of having an agenda because they have posted news articles critical of the Israeli government on their social media.”
They cited in particular the BBC’s recent decision not to air the Gaza: Medics under Fire documentary, saying the move was “just one in a long line of agenda driven decisions”.
“This appears to be a political decision and is not reflective of the journalism in the film,” the letter continued. “This illustrates precisely what many of us have experienced first hand: an organisation that is crippled by the fear of being perceived as critical of the Israeli government.”
They also said the BBC has failed to offer any significant analysis of the UK government’s involvement in the war on Palestinians, including weapons sales or their legal implications.
“Since October 2023 it has become increasingly clear to our audiences that the BBC’s reporting on Israel/ Palestine falls short of our own editorial standards. There is a gulf between the BBC’s coverage of what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank and what our audiences can see is happening via multiple credible sources,” they said.
“The BBC’s editorial decisions seem increasingly out of step with reality. We have been forced to conclude that decisions are made to fit a political agenda rather than serve the needs of audiences,” they added.
All the BBC staff who signed the letter did so anonymously, while the industry figures supporting their call included actors Khalid Abdalla and Miriam Margolyes.
The corporation came in for renewed criticism this weekend for cutting live coverage of Irish rap trio Kneecap during their Glastonbury performance after the group shouted “F* Keir Starmer,”** referring to the UK Prime Minister. But the broadcaster could not censor British punk duo Bob Vylan, who chanted “Death to the IDF” and “Free Palestine” during their own set. A BBC spokesperson called Bob Vylan’s chants “deeply offensive” and confirmed that the performance will not be re-broadcast or archived.
The BBC came under fire recently for withdrawing a documentary about children in Gaza entitled, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone.
Gary Lineker, who presented its flagship football programme Match of the Day for 25 years, also left the broadcaster early after reposting a piece of content about Zionism that contained a rat emoji, historically used in antisemitic propaganda, prompting discussions with BBC leadership that led to his early exit.
Lineker apologised. In an interview with fellow BBC presenter Amol Rajan, which was conducted and broadcast prior to the episode that prompted his departure, the former footballer said that Israel’s war on Gaza and the “mass murder of thousands of children” was more important than what was happening internally at the broadcaster and was “probably something we should have a little opinion on”.
A new analysis by the UK’s public broadcaster revealed that the BBC’s coverage of Israel’s genocide in Gaza is “systematically biased against Palestinians.” The study of over 35,000 pieces of content conducted by the Muslim Council of Britain’s Centre for Media Monitoring (CFMM) found that the BBC gives Israeli deaths 33 times more coverage than Palestinian ones.
