Over 200 individuals in the television and film industry have written a letter to the BBC’s board for an immediate investigation into the “systemic problems of antisemitism and bias” at the corporation. The letter declared that a significant number of BBC staff, contractors, suppliers, and contributors from across the television and film industries, the majority of which were Jewish, were in “anguish and disbelief” over the corporation’s response to coverage and social media comments during the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The group initiated this request after submitting records to the BBC chairman Samir Shah, in which the organization claimed that there were several violations of the broadcaster’s social media principles. Danny Cohen, the former BBC One controller and now Telegraph columnist, and former ITV executive Claudia Rosencrantz, were among the signatories who agreed with the contents of the letter.
The letter highlighted that BBC has demonstrated a failure to address the issues surrounding racism and discrimination within the corporation. The text stated that there is a loss of faith in the BBC within the wider British Jewish community and a deep-seated opinion that “Jews don’t count” when it comes to racism and discrimination. Furthermore, the signatories claimed that the organization may have a severe institutional racism issue that it should be worried about.
The signatories requested an immediate official review by the board into the problems that they highlighted “alongside senior management’s demonstrable failure to properly address the issue.” The letter cited instances from Gary Lineker, a presenter of Match of the Day, discussing any violations of human rights by Israel, Asif Munaf, a previous contestant of The Apprentice, and BBC Arabic staff on their social media.
The BBC updated its social media guidelines last year to claim that flagship show presenters possess a “significant responsibility to help balance commitments to both freedom of expression and impartiality.” The alteration came following alleged controversy surrounding Gary Lineker relating to social media activity and when he was taken off air after comparing the asylum seeker policy of the previous government to Germany in the 1930s
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