Loading
Categories, Archives and Tags

News Day Tuesday: To Air or Not To Air
Posted by Kathy
January 27, 2009
Categories:  What's Crackin'
2
comments


Protestors of the BBC’s decision took to the streets of London on Saturday. (photo: Frantzesco Kangaris/Agence France-Presse)

The BBC recently upset a lot of people by refusing to televise an appeal by aid agencies for victims of the recent Gaza conflict between the Israeli military and Hamas, the Palestinian group that governs Gaza.  Executives said they wanted to protect the BBC’s impartiality in the Arab-Israeli dispute.  In response, more than 11,000 complaints have been filed with them in the past few days, in addition to protests in the streets of London and sit-ins at BBC headquarters.

The Disasters Emergency Committee made the 3-minute video to raise funds for food, medical supplies, tents, blankets and other necessities for those suffering in Gaza, and asked broadcasters to televise it as a public service.  (The video is at the end of the post.  It’s depressing to watch.  You have been warned.)  The BBC, which does not accept advertising, has shown humanitarian appeals on other issues in the past, but it chose not to air the DEC’s video because it didn’t want to give the impression that they were supporting either side.  Sky News has also refused to air the DEC’s video.

The video does focus heavily on the plight of Palestinian children, and some felt that airing it would amount to anti-Israeli propaganda.  Because the BBC has come under fire for it’s coverage of Middle Eastern events (even before the most recent Gaza conflict), it is particularly sensitive about protecting its impartiality.

On the other hand, others say that suffering is suffering, and that regardless of who is right and wrong, the humane thing to do is to help those in need.

What do you think?

The article.

The video:

last post next post

You must be logged in to post a comment ·

MarilyneL

January 27, 2009

Defend the human’s rights and dignity: that’s impartiality.


puffy

January 28, 2009

Look, here are my issues with that video. The statement that “60% of people live in poverty.” In 2007 the reported level of poverty in Gaza was reported between 50 and 70%, so that was the state of affairs to begin with. “1 million people live off aid” – aid relief has been coming into Gaza for the last couple of years at least. The state of the country is an ongoing issue and has not entirely been caused by the current missile exchange…. however I think the video glossed over that and tried to give the impression that the crisis was a direct result of the current conflict. I fully support aid agencies, don’t get me wrong… but I don’t support media usage that isn’t upfront and clear about the information it’s presenting.

To be honest, I understand why the BBC and Sky chose not to broadcast that video, and not because of the content. The Gaza-Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a political, religious and somewhat crazy mess and just googling the subject shows the heated accusations made at both sides.

Equally, I think it’s a tragedy that people are suffering. I do not support the current embargo that is a large factor in the problem. However, at the core this IS a religious and political conflict and I think a company has a right to not broadcast an ad that only presents the problem on one side of the border.