Complaint
This edition of The Media Show included a discussion of the BBC’s decision to amend and then take down from iPlayer the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone. A viewer complained the programme showed bias in that neither of those interviewed spoke in favour of reinstating the film. The BBC considered whether the programme met the standards for due impartiality set out in the Editorial Guidelines.
Outcome
The guidelines make clear that impartiality is resistant to simple quantification and does not require a precise equivalence of views on every point. Both guests, one a former head of Channel 4 News and the other a co-CEO of a major British production company, brought strong views to the discussion on different aspects of the documentary, which reflected their professional experience. The Media Show is not a news bulletin but a specialist factual programme exploring the world of media. This edition did not simply focus on the news of the BBC’s actions or the decision to remove Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone from iPlayer but also offered analysis of the factors behind these events. Although both guests supported the decision, the presenter made clear that many disagreed with it and set out the grounds for their disagreement. Overall, the ECU found the item consistent with the BBC’s standards of impartiality.
Not Upheld