Jan
27
The BBC and Gaza: a perfect storm?
Filed Under Media | Leave a Comment
The BBC is in trouble again. It has refused the request of the Disasters Emergency Committee to broadcast an appeal for aid to Gaza. The BBC worries that broadcasting the appeal will raise funds that can’t be distributed and compromise its news neutrality in an area where a story is ongoing.
There’s been much comment about this. Personally, I’m not sure why the BBC thinks that it has a duty (or the expertise) to assess whether DEC can distribute aid effectively.
But I hate the conflict, don’t think favourably of either side frankly and just wish they’d sort it out. I don’t think foreigners opining on the issue has done much to bring about its resolution and won’t break my silence until I’m convinced that the international community has a useful role to play as an impartial arbiter.
However, I do wonder if it’s a perfect storm for the BBC. The broadcaster gets to assert its neutrality so publicly that even if it does eventually broadcast the appeal, no viewer could have missed that the BBC had reservations and so it doesn’t compromise its neutrality.
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