BBC bias - a leading London solicitor speaks out

From BBC Watch

The BBC is an extremely influential news source. It is reputed to provide fair and
unbiased reporting of world political events, both within the UK and internationally.
It broadcasts news through TV, Radio and a much visited Internet site. Its principal language is English, which has established itself as the dominant language of world commerce, politics and education. The BBC World Service broadcasts in a number of other languages. Funded by a public tax the BBC is free from the need to attract advertising revenue. It also claims to be free from Government interference. All these factors combined enhance its credibility as an impartial news source and so increase its influence. However this influence is dependant upon the BBC maintaining its reputation for ‘accuracy and impartiality.’

The BBCWATCH reports demonstrate how the BBC consistently fails to adhere to its legal obligations to produce impartial and accurate reporting. Our systematic, objective and rigorous research points to the firm conclusion that the BBC frequently displays marked and consistent pro-Palestinian bias in their coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. Their inability to report on this subject in an impartial way raises questions over their ability to report on all other politically sensitive issues.

The third BBCWATCH report examines the BBC’s coverage of the recent war in Iraq.
A comparison of the way in which coalition troops and Israeli troops are reported when dealing with similar military problems provided a rare opportunity to compare like with like in a more direct way than our earlier studies have allowed. Our findings show a disquieting policy of discrimination in the way that Israel is treated by the BBC.

The British public continues to pay for this unfair, partial and inaccurate news service through the licence fee. We wonder whether it is healthy for Britain’s democracy that such huge public funds should be provided to what is an essentially monopolistic and unaccountable body. If the BBC cannot provide impartial news coverage it has no legitimate call on public funds simply to promote its own prejudices.


.........................TREVOR ASSERSON ..........................LEE KERN