We have made it easy for you! Follow our guide and template message!
This action follows BBC’s publishing of an article reporting on Israel’s raid of Al Jazeera’s office whilst taking Al Jazeera channel of air. The BBC article repeatedly fails to mention Israel in an attempt to protect it from accountability which leads to poor, misleading reporting as well as bias and inaccuracy.
INSTRUCTIONS / STEPS:
- Go to the BBC News complaints page.
- Complaint is about “BBC websites or apps”. Then select “BBC News website”.
- Then enter the link to the article (please see above).
- Select “no” when asked if linked to a previous complaint. Then select “continue”.
- “Select the category which best describes the complaint”: select “bias”.
- Then write the subject of the complaint yourself. This is so that their systems do not detect the exact same complaint coming in. Word it along the lines of, but not matching to: “Poor, bias and misleading phrasing in BBC article”
- After this, copy and paste the template message (below). Feel free to modify your copy so it does not exactly match the template. (*if you have more time, then please change your copy of our template or write your own with the necessary information about violation of policies just so the BBC don’t ignore the many same complaints as spam. Ensure the 2000 character limit is kept in mind.)
- Then click ‘yes when asked if you would like a response to the complaint, and click continue.
- On the next page you will have to fill in personal details. Use other names you may have or initials and avoid using exact addresses.
TEMPLATE MESSAGE:
This article blatantly favours Israel because the way the article is written is misleading and amounts to bias as it violates Sections 3 & 4 of BBC’s Editorial policy which demand Accuracy and Impartiality.
In the title, it is written “Al Jazeera office raided as Israel takes channel off air”. By using the passive verb form, BBC is protecting Israel from being named as the one who raided the office. A much more accurate, non-bias and factually correct title would be “Israel raids Al Jazeera office and takes channel off air”. However, BBC prefers to protect Israel from accountability.
At the beginning of the article, it is written that “Israel’s government has moved to shut down the operations of the Al Jazeera television network in the country, branding it a mouthpiece for Hamas.” BBC’s failure to insert ‘mouthpiece for Hamas’ in commas violates Section 4 of its Editorial Guidelines which demand impartiality because it insinuates support for this claim as it is not separated into speech marks which ensures it can be identified as an external statement, allowing BBC to appear as clearly bias.
Additionally, the article states “A BBC team visited the scene, but was prevented from filming or going into the hotel by police.” This could mean by Palestinian Authority police, so why has BBC avoided being specific and unambiguous by saying “Israeli police”?
Furthermore, it is absolutely horrifying that BBC writes “Foreign journalists are banned from entering Gaza, and Al Jazeera staff there have been some of the only reporters on the ground.” It is clear that Israel is the one banning entry into Gaza. By avoiding Israel”s mentioning, BBC leaves readers to assume it is Hamas preventing entry into Gaza as Gaza is associated with Hamas which leads to dangerous and misleading reporting.
This poor reporting and lack of accuracy and impartiality is something BBC has persistently shown must take accountability for.
______________________
Please share this, but avoid sharing on platforms or groups where zionist presence is large.
Credit to the writer of this template: Hassan (TPO).
The Palestine Observer 