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June 18, 2025 – General –
Veteran journalist Peter Oborne has publicly accused the BBC of showing “double standards” in its coverage of the Gaza conflict, following the release of a major report by the Centre for Media Monitoring (CfMM). Speaking at the report’s launch event, Oborne said the BBC had consistently prioritized Israeli narratives while silencing or minimizing Palestinian perspectives. He went so far as to describe the coverage as “complicity in Israeli genocide,” arguing the broadcaster misled the British public during one of the deadliest assaults on Gaza in modern history.
The CfMM’s year-long investigation analyzed over 35,000 BBC content pieces from October 2023 to October 2024. Despite Palestinians suffering far greater casualties, the report found that Israeli deaths received 33 times more coverage per fatality. Furthermore, emotive language such as “massacre” or “slaughter” was more often used to describe Israeli victims, while Palestinian suffering was frequently framed with less empathy or omitted altogether.
The report also pointed to the BBC’s editorial decisions—such as the delay or removal of documentaries about Gaza—as reinforcing perceptions of institutional bias. One example was the BBC’s shelving of Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, a documentary focusing on Palestinian medics, which was pulled just hours before airing.
In response, a BBC executive acknowledged the CfMM’s findings but firmly rejected claims of systemic bias. The broadcaster insists it is committed to editorial impartiality and is conducting internal reviews to refine its processes. BBC leadership emphasized that recent programming decisions were made out of concern for balance and fairness, not due to political pressure.
Still, the report has intensified public scrutiny and calls for accountability. Critics argue that the BBC’s cautious stance has led to a lack of meaningful coverage of Palestinian experiences, potentially eroding trust with global audiences.
As the conflict continues and media organizations grapple with how to report responsibly, the BBC is facing renewed demands to ensure its journalism reflects the human cost of war on all sides, not just those more politically convenient to highlight.
Reference –
https://www.thenational.scot/news/25248146.peter-oborne-calls-bbc-double-standards-gaza-coverage/
https://www.thenational.scot/news/25248751.bbc-chief-responds-landmark-report-exposing-bias-gaza/
