More than 100 BBC journalists blasted the U.K. broadcaster in a open letter this week denouncing what they viewed as censorship in favor of Israel while reporting on the conflict in Gaza. It specifically called for the removal of board member Robbie Gibbs, citing a conflict of interest over his ties to the Jewish Chronicle.
“We’re writing to express our concerns over opague editorial decisions and censorship at the BBC on the reporting of Israel/Palestine,” the letter, which was signed by over 400 other media and entertainment figures including Mike Leigh, “Harry Potter” star Miriam Margolyes and Marvel’s Zawe Ashton, read.
“We believe the refusal to broadcast the documentary ‘Gaza: Medics Under Fire’ is just one in a long line of agenda driven decisions,” the letter continued. “It demonstrates, once again, that the BBC is not reporting ‘without fear of favor’ when it comes to Israel.”
The letter, posted earlier this week, also includes signatures from “Day of the Jackal” actor Khalid Abdalla, prominent author and activist Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, actress Juliet Stevenson and more. Sectors of the BBC represented by anonymous signees include BBC News, BBC World Service, BBC Nations & Regions, BBC Digital and BBC Operations.
The letter stems from BBC’s decision to shelve “Gaza: Medics Under Fire,” a documentary film centered on the experiences of doctors who are working during the Gaza war, which the organization initially commissioned. According to the letter, BBC set the film aside, stating that it “risked creating a perception of partiality.” Channel 4 aired the film in the U.K. on Wednesday, retitled “Gaza: Doctors Under Attack,” after BBC announced it would be shelved, according to The Guardian.
BBC’s decision, the letter states, is evidence that the organization is “crippled by the fear of being perceived as critical of the Israeli government.”
“We are not asking the BBC to take a side. We are asking to be allowed to do our jobs in delivering facts transparently and with due context. For many of us, our efforts have been frustrated by opaque decisions made at senior levels of the BBC without discussion or explanation. Our failures impact audiences,” the letter continued.
“We have not offered any significant analysis of the U.K. government’s involvement in the war on Palestinians,” staffers wrote of the broadcaster. “We have failed to report on weapons sales or their legal implications. These stories have instead been broken by the BBC’s competitors.”
In conclusion, the signees wrote: “We, the undersigned BBC staff, freelancers and industry figures are extremely concerned that the BBC’s reporting on Israel and Palestine continues to fall short of the standards our audiences expect. We believe the role of Robbie Gibb, both on the board, and as part of the editorial standards committee, is untenable. We call on the BBC to do better for our audiences and recommit to our values of impartiality, honesty and reporting without fear or favor.”
In a statement to media obtain by The Guardian, a BBC spokesperson wrote in response to the letter: “Robust discussions amongst our editorial teams about our journalism are an essential part of the editorial process. We have ongoing discussions about coverage and listen to feedback from staff and we think these conversations are best had internally.
“Regarding our coverage of Gaza, the BBC is fully committed to covering the conflict impartially and has produced powerful coverage from the region. Alongside breaking news, ongoing analysis, and investigations, we have produced award winning documentaries such as ‘Life and Death in Gaza’ and ‘Gaza 101.’”
