Gaza and the BBC

I might be quite Victorian in a lot of my attitudes, but the BBC has angered me this week for not being forward thinking:

The recent conflict in Gaza has been distressing for all observers. Over 1,300 Palestinians have been killed and many thousands injured. The destruction has left people without homes, schooling, power, food and water supplies. The United Nations has highlighted the plight of the ordinary people of Gaza (as reported on the Middle East pages of its website http://www.un.org/).

Charities around the world have sought to respond to the plight of Gazans. In such times of crisis a number of British charities work together as one umbrella organisation to raise funds for aid; known collectively as the Disasters Emergency Committee or DEC (http://www.dec.org.uk/), the organisation comprises charities such as CAFOD, the Red Cross, Islamic Relief, Oxfam, Save the Children, Christian Aid, Action Aid, Help the Aged, and others.

The DEC has produced a television appeal asking for donations to help relieve the crisis. Since 1963 the major broadcasters in Britain have given free airtime to DEC appeals, which highlight only the greatest disasters needing aid. Amazingly, and in contrast to other UK broadcasters, the BBC has decided not to screen the appeal. They claim that it would ‘compromise its impartiality’, even though the DEC has stressed that its relief-work is non-political. The DEC Chief Executive has stated that its work is to relieve short-term needs; it does not comment on the longer-term situation in Israel-Palestine.

Rather than preserving its impartiality the BBC’s decision not to broadcast the appeal arguably highlights political bias within the Corporation. As many commentators and politicians (including members of the Cabinet) have stated today: How can anyone be impartial to human suffering? You can read the BBC’s own account of the dispute on its website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7848673.stm. The Guardian also reports the incident: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jan/23/bbc-refuses-gaza-appeal

I would like to ask you to consider supporting charities work now by complaining to the BBC about its decision. You can do so by telephoning 03700 100 222, via the BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/, or writing to: BBC Complaints, PO Box 1922, Glasgow, G2 3WT.

You might consider donating: https://www.donate.bt.com/bt_form_gaza.html

If you feel able to, please:

- complain to the BBC about its decision
- donate to help the people of Gaza via the DEC
- pass the news on to others so that action can be taken
- pray for the people of Gaza and of Israel, that peace will flourish in this land