Read Gordon's Republic blog -- BBC made right decision over Gaza
The BBC has held firm on its decision not to broadcast the DEC appeal for Gaza tonight, despite 11,000 complaints and a chorus of protest from public figures over the weekend.
The two-minute TV appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee, an alliance of major aid charities including the British Red Cross and Oxfam, will be shown for the first time this evening on ITV, Channel 4 and Five. Press and digital ads have already started running.
The BBC and Sky have concerns that doing so would damage their impartiality on the Middle East conflict.
Since ruling out the TV and radio broadcast on Thursday, the BBC has been engulfed by a storm of criticism pressing for it to reconsider its decision.
The public have made more than 11,000 complaints and more than 50 MPs have said they will back a parliamentary motion, penned by Labour MP Richard Burden, urging the BBC to show the appeal.
While culture secretary Andy Burnham has defended the BBC's right to make its own decision, other minsters -- including international secretary Douglas Alexander and communities secretary Hazel Blears -- have said it should reconsider.
The Church of England has also weighed in, with Dr John Sentamu, the archbishop of York, saying "Come on Auntie Beeb. Wake up and get on with it."
The BBC's decision has been defended by at the highest level by director-general Mark Thompson.
Thompson wrote in the BBC editors' blog over the weekend that the corporation has broadcast several DEC appeals in the past, but had decided to block the Gaza appeal "because of [the] risk of giving the public the impression the BBC was taking sides in an ongoing conflict".
John Ryley, head of Sky News, said this morning: "We don't believe that broadcasting such an appeal on Sky News can be combined with the balance and context that impartial journalism aims to bring to the highly-charged and continuing conflict in Gaza."
Channel 4 has argued the opposite case and is broadcasting the appeal tonight.
A Channel 4 spokesman, said: "Channel 4 will broadcast the DEC appeal for humanitarian aid for civilians caught up in the Gaza conflict.
"We accept the DEC's guidance on the urgent need for humanitarian aid and believe this need should take precedence over any considerations as to the causes of the suffering that necessitates it.
"We believe Channel 4's news coverage of the conflict in Gaza has at all times been appropriately impartial and we do not believe our impartiality will be compromised in the eyes of our audience by broadcasting this appeal. We have informed other broadcasters of our decision."
The BBC Trust chairman, Sir Michael Lyons, has said the decision is one to be made by the BBC executive and expressed concern about "undue interference" from politicians.
The corporation is especially sensitive to its record on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, having been accused by both sides of bias over the years.
Comments
theONE - 26/01/2009
BBC is really taking sides by not showing this!
thank God for Channel 4/5 and ITV - they seem more concerned about human beings than their viewing figures. this is not about impartiality - it's about basic compassion. in my view, this is reason gone mad.
But Jane, there is no reason in Palestine.
Why to support terrorist organizations' leaders? We know how Hamas is using the media for its own benefits and not for the Palestinians. Remember how Arafat handled EU, American and other funds!! Mrs. Arafat is living luxurious life in Paris from that money that was dedicated for building Palestinian state.
Doesn't matter Miki, innocent people are being murdered and are dying NOW.
Regardless of who is to blame, they need help.
Palestine is a very complex issue - but as i've already said, this isn't about politics, it's about the BBC and Sky not airing a film, made by a charity, to help some innocent people, caught in the middle, who really need help now.
By choosing not to show this ad they have clearly taken sides. They show ads for political parties and Comic Relief - so why not this? Very disappointed by BBC and Sky on this one, and it DOES comes across as being politically motivated - are they really as independent as they want to appear? I don't think so.
Salika - 26/01/2009
There is nothing wrong with trying to raise money for war victims!
The BBC is so obviously anti-Israel anyway, I don't know why they would suddenly start worrying about looking biased.
Ad-dick do not be naive!! Your charity money will not arrive to those who really need them. These innocent people are supporting Hamas and terrorism. The number of victims and casualties is also questionable. Or why Hamas does not let injured people to receive medical treatment in Erez Check-point? Because these innocent people are part of their social media and PR campaign to generate support for their terrorist activities!! Why is Hamas killing Fatah members? Why Hamas killing anybody who is not with him? These are the big questions. Finally Britain wake up before London become Londonistan!!
actually - i think you'll find most of them are just innocent people - who wouldn't even live in Gaza if they had a choice - the rest are kids.
and please don't accuse me of being naive too - i'm half Arab and grew up with all of this.
Of course they would not even live in Gaza, but "thanks to Hamas" they cannot leave Gaza Strip..It is so simple to blame for everything Israel, instead of understanding how hypocrite and destructive Hamas and the PLO for their nation. In other countries, when people are fed up with the situation or with the government they either demand new elections or send the bad government away. This is what not happening in Gaza and in the West Bank or in Arab countries where dictators are ruling a country over 30 years. I do not want to come up with the human rights issues that these terrorist organizations are abusing on daily bases. Therefore I am not surprised that your parents left their Arabic country to live in a free, democratic, liberal state like the United Kingdom.
Of course, it's appalling the amount of lives lost in Gaza and Southern Israel. And there's no problem for the DEC mounting an appeal if purely for humanitarian reasons. But ther's two important points here.
1.) I can't understand why so many people think that means Sky and the BBC need to broadcast that appeal. ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are not quite in the same boat I feel as Sky and the BBC. The latter two are worldwide news agencies and so must stick to reporting the facts. The other three are essentially UK organisations, happy to broadcast an appeal from a UK based Organisation. So the global audience of Sky and the BBC is crucial here. Instead of criticising the BBC and Sky, can't members of the public be satisfied with the great publicity the campaign has received and quietly donate to this cause they obviously feel strongly about.
2.) If only the DEC really were apolitical that would make me feel more comfortable. Unfortunately, whilst some DEC members are impartial, many of them most certainly are not. And it leads to a very nasty undertone of unspoken, irrational dislike for the Jewish state, verging on anti-semitism. Many members say nothing about the human rights of Zimbabweans. Members do not all agree on other, similar occupations like Turkey's ongoing annexation of North Cyprus. So you won't see a DEC appeal for that. As for Darfur, Rwanda and Sri Lanka, there has been some activity but nowhere near given the attention of Gaza. The problem is that only one issue seems to unite the DEC and gets the nation's debating juices going like no other. And, as usual, it's anti-zionism. Yes we know it's about the human rights of innocent Gazan families in awful hardship too. But why don't we hear anywhere near the same volume of support for other war-torn minorities?
On a practical level the BBC have shot themselves in the foot by choosing not to broadcast the appeal. BBC journalists have been frozen out by the local Palestinians and most Palestinian political factions. Certainly people on the ground in the West Bank and Gaza are refusing to give interviews and information to the BBC journalists. By choosing to only report objective facts, which a debatable position anyway, they are now able to provide far less first hand information. Their ability to be objective has therefore been compromised anyway.
Comments
theONE - 26/01/2009
BBC is really taking sides by not showing this!
Jayne Marar - 26/01/2009
thank God for Channel 4/5 and ITV - they seem more concerned about human beings than their viewing figures. this is not about impartiality - it's about basic compassion. in my view, this is reason gone mad.
Ad- Dick - 26/01/2009
But Jane, there is no reason in Palestine.
Miki Breitner - 26/01/2009
Why to support terrorist organizations' leaders? We know how Hamas is using the media for its own benefits and not for the Palestinians. Remember how Arafat handled EU, American and other funds!! Mrs. Arafat is living luxurious life in Paris from that money that was dedicated for building Palestinian state.
Ad- Dick - 26/01/2009
Doesn't matter Miki, innocent people are being murdered and are dying NOW. Regardless of who is to blame, they need help.
Jayne Marar - 26/01/2009
Palestine is a very complex issue - but as i've already said, this isn't about politics, it's about the BBC and Sky not airing a film, made by a charity, to help some innocent people, caught in the middle, who really need help now.
Susan Billinge - 26/01/2009
By choosing not to show this ad they have clearly taken sides. They show ads for political parties and Comic Relief - so why not this? Very disappointed by BBC and Sky on this one, and it DOES comes across as being politically motivated - are they really as independent as they want to appear? I don't think so.
Salika - 26/01/2009
There is nothing wrong with trying to raise money for war victims!
Levitates - 27/01/2009
The BBC is so obviously anti-Israel anyway, I don't know why they would suddenly start worrying about looking biased.
Miki Breitner - 27/01/2009
Ad-dick do not be naive!! Your charity money will not arrive to those who really need them. These innocent people are supporting Hamas and terrorism. The number of victims and casualties is also questionable. Or why Hamas does not let injured people to receive medical treatment in Erez Check-point? Because these innocent people are part of their social media and PR campaign to generate support for their terrorist activities!! Why is Hamas killing Fatah members? Why Hamas killing anybody who is not with him? These are the big questions. Finally Britain wake up before London become Londonistan!!
Jayne Marar - 27/01/2009
actually - i think you'll find most of them are just innocent people - who wouldn't even live in Gaza if they had a choice - the rest are kids. and please don't accuse me of being naive too - i'm half Arab and grew up with all of this.
Miki Breitner - 28/01/2009
Of course they would not even live in Gaza, but "thanks to Hamas" they cannot leave Gaza Strip..It is so simple to blame for everything Israel, instead of understanding how hypocrite and destructive Hamas and the PLO for their nation. In other countries, when people are fed up with the situation or with the government they either demand new elections or send the bad government away. This is what not happening in Gaza and in the West Bank or in Arab countries where dictators are ruling a country over 30 years. I do not want to come up with the human rights issues that these terrorist organizations are abusing on daily bases. Therefore I am not surprised that your parents left their Arabic country to live in a free, democratic, liberal state like the United Kingdom.
Aron Caplan - 28/01/2009
Of course, it's appalling the amount of lives lost in Gaza and Southern Israel. And there's no problem for the DEC mounting an appeal if purely for humanitarian reasons. But ther's two important points here. 1.) I can't understand why so many people think that means Sky and the BBC need to broadcast that appeal. ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are not quite in the same boat I feel as Sky and the BBC. The latter two are worldwide news agencies and so must stick to reporting the facts. The other three are essentially UK organisations, happy to broadcast an appeal from a UK based Organisation. So the global audience of Sky and the BBC is crucial here. Instead of criticising the BBC and Sky, can't members of the public be satisfied with the great publicity the campaign has received and quietly donate to this cause they obviously feel strongly about. 2.) If only the DEC really were apolitical that would make me feel more comfortable. Unfortunately, whilst some DEC members are impartial, many of them most certainly are not. And it leads to a very nasty undertone of unspoken, irrational dislike for the Jewish state, verging on anti-semitism. Many members say nothing about the human rights of Zimbabweans. Members do not all agree on other, similar occupations like Turkey's ongoing annexation of North Cyprus. So you won't see a DEC appeal for that. As for Darfur, Rwanda and Sri Lanka, there has been some activity but nowhere near given the attention of Gaza. The problem is that only one issue seems to unite the DEC and gets the nation's debating juices going like no other. And, as usual, it's anti-zionism. Yes we know it's about the human rights of innocent Gazan families in awful hardship too. But why don't we hear anywhere near the same volume of support for other war-torn minorities?
Andy Knell - 30/01/2009
On a practical level the BBC have shot themselves in the foot by choosing not to broadcast the appeal. BBC journalists have been frozen out by the local Palestinians and most Palestinian political factions. Certainly people on the ground in the West Bank and Gaza are refusing to give interviews and information to the BBC journalists. By choosing to only report objective facts, which a debatable position anyway, they are now able to provide far less first hand information. Their ability to be objective has therefore been compromised anyway.