BBC Chair Samir Shah has described the controversy surrounding the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone as a “dagger to the heart” of the broadcaster’s impartiality, calling for an independent review of its Middle East coverage.
Speaking to the Culture, Media & Sport Committee on Tuesday, Shah said the BBC Board is “very exercised” by the issue and vowed to take appropriate action. The controversy erupted after it was revealed that one of the documentary’s narrators is the son of a Hamas minister. The BBC has launched an investigation, led by Peter Johnston, and U.K. media regulator Ofcom has said it could intervene if it is unsatisfied with the BBC’s response.
“I agree that this is a really bad moment,” Shah said. “What has been revealed is a dagger to the heart of the BBC’s claim to be impartial and trustworthy, which is why I and the board are determined to answer the questions being asked.”
The BBC pulled the documentary from its streaming service last week, stating that its producer, HOYO Films, failed to disclose the narrator’s family ties. Hundreds, including BBC presenter Gary Lineker, have since signed an open letter condemning what they called “censorship on Palestine.” Meanwhile, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has criticized the broadcaster’s handling of the matter.
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Shah, a former BBC current affairs executive, said a thorough review is necessary. “I have a worry that it wasn’t so much the processes that were at fault but that people weren’t doing their job,” he said. He compared the situation to his experience covering Northern Ireland. “We had to be very careful about the circumstances of which a terrorist organization works and how they control things," he said.
BBC Director General Tim Davie defended the broadcaster’s decision to remove the documentary, stating that he lost trust in the film after learning of the narrator’s ties. However, he did not rule out reinstating it once the review is complete.
“If you think we bow to lobbies, then come and spend a day with me,” Davie said, insisting that the BBC operates independently.
The review into the Gaza documentary follows recent scandals at the broadcaster, including misconduct allegations against former news anchor Huw Edwards. Shah said he was determined to address the BBC’s workplace culture, emphasizing, “The BBC is bigger than any individual.”