BBC: Leading the World Against Israel
by Richard Kemp, Gatestone Institute:
More than any other media organization, the BBC is responsible for inciting hatred against Israel — not just in Britain but globally. Its agenda helps to ensure continued aggression against the Jewish State; fuels violence by Hamas and other terrorist groups; feeds the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement; encourages distorted condemnation of Israel by human rights groups and international bodies; and provides material to be exploited by activist university professors and students.
All of this not only seriously harms the reputation of the State of Israel and stimulates antisemitism around the world, it also worsens the suffering of Palestinians by uncritical coverage of the leadership that is responsible for their plight.
Plenty of other media organizations and propagandists contribute to this malevolent narrative, but the BBC is more influential than any of them because of its widely perceived objectivity, respectability and reliability, combined with unrivalled reach. It operates under a contract with the British government and is bound by a Royal charter, together requiring accurate and impartial news and analysis of current events and ideas. In its own words: “BBC News is respected both in the UK and around the world for the strength of its journalism and impartiality”.
It is the largest broadcaster on the planet, with over 35,000 staff. Last year it boasted that on average 438 million people around the world came to the BBC each week.
Following accusations of slanted reporting of the second Palestinian intifada, which began in 2000, and the rise in Jew-hatred caused by it, in 2004 the BBC was pressured to open an inquiry into its coverage, by Malcolm Balen, a former BBC News editor. For 17 years Balen’s findings have been kept under lock and key by the BBC, which admitted to spending $500,000 of public funds in a series of legal battles to prevent its release. Efforts are now being made by filmmaker Hugh Kitson and others to have the report made public. In parliament this June, Conservative peer Lord Polack urged the government to compel the BBC to release it. “What is it they are hiding and what are they afraid of?”, he asked. Responding, the Minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said that “in some instances it [the BBC] has fallen far short” of the required standards.
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