BBC urged to rethink over Gaza

BECTU has called on the BBC to rethink its position over the broadcast of a humanitarian aid appeal for Gaza.

BECTU General Secretary, Gerry Morrissey, and the NUJ’s General Secretary, Jeremy Dear, have co-authored letters today to the heads of both the BBC and BSkyB.

Both broadcasters have declined to screen the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for Gaza on the grounds that to do so would compromise their impartiality as news organisations.

ITV and Channels 4 and 5 have both agreed to screen the appeal tonight.

In a joint letter to Mark Thompson, BBC Director General, the unions said: “We, above all, understand the BBC’s need to maintain editorial impartiality and we also understand the pressure journalists and the BBC come under from those who accuse the BBC of bias in reporting the Middle East.

“That said, we agree with those senior BBC journalists who say this is a decision taken as a result of timidity by BBC management in the face of such pressures.”

The joint union letter to Jeremy Darroch, BSkyB’s chief executive officer, stated: “The justifications given for the decision …. appears to us cowardly and in danger of being seen as politically motivated and biased in favour of Israel.

“Our members feel this [BSkyB's stance] makes Sky appear pro-Israeli and indifferent to the plight of the victims of this conflict.”

BECTU and the NUJ are both recognised by the BBC to represent the interests of BBC staff; whilst BSkyB does not recognise either union for collective bargaining, both unions have members amongst BSkyB staff.

BECTU’s NEC decided yesterday to make donations totalling £700 to the TUC and Irish Congress of Trade Unions appeals for humanitarian aid in Gaza.