The BBC violated its own editorial standards by failing to disclose that the father of a teenage narrator in its Gaza documentary held a position in the Hamas-run government, according to a review released Monday.
The documentary, “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone,” aired in February on BBC Two and iPlayer before being pulled. It was produced by HOYO Films. The review found the broadcaster breached guideline 3.3.17 on accuracy by omitting the information, which it described as “critical.”
“Regardless of how the significance or otherwise of the narrator’s father’s position was judged, the audience should have been informed about this,” wrote Peter Johnston, the BBC’s director of editorial complaints and reviews, who headed the review, according to Variety.
While the review found no violation of impartiality rules and no evidence of outside influence, it concluded that the BBC failed to conduct sufficient editorial checks.
HOYO Films admitted that three members of its team knew about the father’s government role before the broadcast. The BBC was unaware at the time.
Director-General Tim Davie said the broadcaster would take “fair, clear and appropriate actions to ensure proper accountability” and implement steps to prevent similar lapses.
BBC News CEO Deborah Turness also acknowledged the “significant mistake,” stating, “At the heart of this program were powerful and important stories that need to be told.”
HOYO Films apologized and said it took the findings “extremely seriously,” adding that it was encouraged that the report found no improper third-party influence on content.
The BBC has outlined a new action plan, which includes updated editorial guidance for narrator vetting in contentious current affairs reporting, tighter controls via “First Gate” and “Final Gate” oversight steps, and the creation of a new executive role overseeing long-form content, it says.
The broadcaster confirmed it has no current or planned projects with HOYO Films but is considering re-editing shorter segments from the documentary for possible re-release on iPlayer.
The documentary, “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone,” aired in February on BBC Two and iPlayer before being pulled. It was produced by HOYO Films. The review found the broadcaster breached guideline 3.3.17 on accuracy by omitting the information, which it described as “critical.”
“Regardless of how the significance or otherwise of the narrator’s father’s position was judged, the audience should have been informed about this,” wrote Peter Johnston, the BBC’s director of editorial complaints and reviews, who headed the review, according to Variety.
While the review found no violation of impartiality rules and no evidence of outside influence, it concluded that the BBC failed to conduct sufficient editorial checks.
HOYO Films admitted that three members of its team knew about the father’s government role before the broadcast. The BBC was unaware at the time.
Director-General Tim Davie said the broadcaster would take “fair, clear and appropriate actions to ensure proper accountability” and implement steps to prevent similar lapses.
BBC News CEO Deborah Turness also acknowledged the “significant mistake,” stating, “At the heart of this program were powerful and important stories that need to be told.”
HOYO Films apologized and said it took the findings “extremely seriously,” adding that it was encouraged that the report found no improper third-party influence on content.
The BBC has outlined a new action plan, which includes updated editorial guidance for narrator vetting in contentious current affairs reporting, tighter controls via “First Gate” and “Final Gate” oversight steps, and the creation of a new executive role overseeing long-form content, it says.
The broadcaster confirmed it has no current or planned projects with HOYO Films but is considering re-editing shorter segments from the documentary for possible re-release on iPlayer.
