UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is set to meet the BBC chair after the corporation admitted “serious flaws” in a Gaza war documentary.
Ms Nandy will hold talks with BBC Chair Samir Shah on Friday following the broadcaster’s apology over “serious flaws” in its Gaza war documentary.
What did Lisa Nandy demand from the BBC over the Gaza documentary?
The Culture Secretary urged the BBC to ensure its commissioned review is comprehensive and in-depth, aiming to reveal the full details of the controversy.
Ms Nandy stated in a statement,
“The public rightly holds the BBC to the highest standards of reporting and governance which is why I will be having an urgent meeting with the BBC chair later today.”
She said,
“I want assurances that no stone will be left unturned by the fact-finding review now commissioned by the BBC’s director general. This review must be comprehensive, rigorous and get to the bottom of exactly what has happened in this case,”
Adding,
“It is critical for trust in the BBC that this review happens quickly, and that appropriate action is taken on its findings.”
Did the BBC documentary compromise impartiality with its narrator’s choice?
The BBC is facing backlash after revelations that the 13-year-old narrator of its documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, is the son of a Hamas deputy minister.
The broadcaster revealed on Thursday that Hoyo Films, which produced the documentary, had provided a “small” payment to the young boy’s mother.
Did the BBC overlook flaws in its Gaza documentary?
The BBC board reviewed the matter, concluding that an internal investigation had revealed major flaws in the documentary’s production. A representative stated,
“Some of these were made by the production company and some by the BBC; all of them are unacceptable … We apologise for this.”
They added,
“The processes and execution of this programme fell short of our expectations. Although the programme was made by an independent production company, who were commissioned to deliver a fully compliant documentary, the BBC has ultimate editorial responsibility for this programme as broadcast.”
In another press brief, the BBC board described the errors in the documentary as “significant and damaging” to the corporation’s reputation.
How did the BBC fail to uncover the narrator’s Hamas connection?
As reported by The Guardian, the BBC repeatedly inquired with Hoyo Films in writing regarding links between Abdullah al-Yazouri, the documentary’s young narrator, and Hamas.
Hoyo Films later admitted to the BBC that it had prior information that Abdullah’s father held a ministerial role in Hamas but had not communicated this to the corporation.
A BBC spokesperson said,
“It was then the BBC’s own failing that we did not uncover that fact and the documentary was aired.”
What did Stuart Andrew say about the BBC documentary inquiry?
The shadow culture minister, Stuart Andrew, has urged an independent investigation into the documentary’s production, stating that law enforcement should step in if payments were made to “Hamas or their affiliates.”
Mr Andrew stated that the
“possibility of payments being made to Hamas or their affiliates is deeply troubling. That is why we believe there needs to be a full independent inquiry, so we can have absolute faith that everything is being looked at in the round, and make sure we know the processes that were followed or not followed, and exactly how much money has been potentially given to Hamas or its affiliates.”
What did Roger Mosey say about the BBC’s documentary mistakes?
Former head of BBC television, Roger Mosey, said that the corporation’s errors were “not an unfortunate accident” but resulted from
“some people not doing their job properly and making sure this programme was fit to be broadcast.”
He stated,
“I think there are some basic rookie errors made here. It’s not an unfortunate accident. It’s actually that some people were not doing their job properly and making sure this programme was fit to be broadcast.”