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| Tim Davie admits ‘significant failing’ by BBC over Gaza documentary | Tim Davie admits ‘significant failing’ by BBC over Gaza documentary |
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| Director general apologises and announces changes but faces growing pressure from culture secretary Lisa Nandy | Director general apologises and announces changes but faces growing pressure from culture secretary Lisa Nandy |
| The BBC’s director general has admitted the broadcaster made a “significant failing” over a documentary about children in Gaza, after an internal investigation found that the programme breached editorial guidelines for accuracy. | |
| Senior BBC figures have acknowledged that programme-makers failed to ask the right questions about the making of Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone. An internal investigation found viewers should have been made aware of the “critical information” that the 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. | Senior BBC figures have acknowledged that programme-makers failed to ask the right questions about the making of Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone. An internal investigation found viewers should have been made aware of the “critical information” that the 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. |
| However, the inquiry found no other breaches of guidelines in its production, including impartiality. It concluded no outside interests “inappropriately impacted on the programme” and that no payments were made to people under financial sanctions. | However, the inquiry found no other breaches of guidelines in its production, including impartiality. It concluded no outside interests “inappropriately impacted on the programme” and that no payments were made to people under financial sanctions. |
| Tim Davie and the BBC are under serious pressure after a series of incidents and have face repeated condemnation from the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, whose relationship with Davie appears to have reached its lowest ebb. | |
| In her latest broadside at Davie, Nandy said there had been a “series of catastrophic failures” by the BBC in recent weeks. Responding to the Gaza documentary findings, she said the BBC “must ensure that such errors are never repeated”. | In her latest broadside at Davie, Nandy said there had been a “series of catastrophic failures” by the BBC in recent weeks. Responding to the Gaza documentary findings, she said the BBC “must ensure that such errors are never repeated”. |
| She said: “The public rightly expect the highest standards from the BBC and the corporation must learn and take swift action from the report’s findings. Accurate and impartial reporting on the conflict in Gaza and events in the Middle East is absolutely essential. This must be done with the utmost care and sensitivity to ensure public trust.” | She said: “The public rightly expect the highest standards from the BBC and the corporation must learn and take swift action from the report’s findings. Accurate and impartial reporting on the conflict in Gaza and events in the Middle East is absolutely essential. This must be done with the utmost care and sensitivity to ensure public trust.” |
| Nandy had already demanded to know why no one had lost their job over the documentary error. Davie said there would be “fair, clear and appropriate actions to ensure proper accountability”. No one has so far been dismissed. | Nandy had already demanded to know why no one had lost their job over the documentary error. Davie said there would be “fair, clear and appropriate actions to ensure proper accountability”. No one has so far been dismissed. |
| The communications watchdog, Ofcom, said it would also investigate the documentary under its broadcasting code, which states factual programmes “must not materially mislead the audience”. | |
| The long-awaited report was published on the same day as an investigation into the behaviour of Gregg Wallace, which substantiated 45 allegations made against the former BBC presenter, including claims of inappropriate sexual language and one incident of unwelcome physical contact. The BBC admitted opportunities were missed to deal with his behaviour. | The long-awaited report was published on the same day as an investigation into the behaviour of Gregg Wallace, which substantiated 45 allegations made against the former BBC presenter, including claims of inappropriate sexual language and one incident of unwelcome physical contact. The BBC admitted opportunities were missed to deal with his behaviour. |
| The review of Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, which aired on BBC Two in February and was later removed from iPlayer, was carried out by Peter Johnston, the BBC’s director of editorial complaints and reviews. | The review of Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, which aired on BBC Two in February and was later removed from iPlayer, was carried out by Peter Johnston, the BBC’s director of editorial complaints and reviews. |
| He found that three members of the programme’s independent production company, Hoyo Films, knew of the father’s position but the BBC was not informed. The review concluded Hoyo Films had not intentionally misled the BBC but bore most responsibility for the failure. | He found that three members of the programme’s independent production company, Hoyo Films, knew of the father’s position but the BBC was not informed. The review concluded Hoyo Films had not intentionally misled the BBC but bore most responsibility for the failure. |
| However, the BBC was accused of failing to be “sufficiently proactive” with initial editorial checks and of a “lack of critical oversight of unanswered or partially answered questions”. BBC figures had asked about the connections of the narrator’s father but those queries went unanswered. | However, the BBC was accused of failing to be “sufficiently proactive” with initial editorial checks and of a “lack of critical oversight of unanswered or partially answered questions”. BBC figures had asked about the connections of the narrator’s father but those queries went unanswered. |
| It also found no “reasonable basis” to conclude that anyone engaged or paid in connection with the programme was subject to financial sanctions. A fee of £795 was paid to the narrator’s adult sister. The narrator was given a secondhand mobile phone and a gift card for a computer game. The narrator, his father, mother and sister were all checked for financial sanctions against them. | It also found no “reasonable basis” to conclude that anyone engaged or paid in connection with the programme was subject to financial sanctions. A fee of £795 was paid to the narrator’s adult sister. The narrator was given a secondhand mobile phone and a gift card for a computer game. The narrator, his father, mother and sister were all checked for financial sanctions against them. |
| Davie said the report “identifies a significant failing in relation to accuracy in this documentary. I am sorry for this failing. We will now take action on two fronts – fair, clear and appropriate actions to ensure proper accountability and the immediate implementation of steps to prevent such errors being repeated.” | Davie said the report “identifies a significant failing in relation to accuracy in this documentary. I am sorry for this failing. We will now take action on two fronts – fair, clear and appropriate actions to ensure proper accountability and the immediate implementation of steps to prevent such errors being repeated.” |
| He announced a series of changes, including new “enhanced editorial controls”. No “high-risk” long-form programmes will be formally commissioned until all compliance issues have been considered, including “rigorous social media and background checks”. | He announced a series of changes, including new “enhanced editorial controls”. No “high-risk” long-form programmes will be formally commissioned until all compliance issues have been considered, including “rigorous social media and background checks”. |
| While the BBC has not announced anyone is leaving as a result of the incident, it is creating a board-level role overseeing news documentaries and current affairs. It raises questions over the future of Joanna Carr, the head of current affairs. | While the BBC has not announced anyone is leaving as a result of the incident, it is creating a board-level role overseeing news documentaries and current affairs. It raises questions over the future of Joanna Carr, the head of current affairs. |
| Deborah Turness, the chief executive of BBC News, told staff that the programme had made a “significant mistake”. | Deborah Turness, the chief executive of BBC News, told staff that the programme had made a “significant mistake”. |
| Danny Cohen, a former director of BBC television who has repeatedly accused the BBC of anti-Israel bias, said: “This looks like a classic case of ‘deputy heads must roll’ and that is nowhere near good enough. As head of news, Deborah Turness has questions to answer.” | |
| The Gaza report and the Wallace findings mean Davie is now facing the most challenging week of his five-year leadership of the BBC. Nandy has also criticised the director general over the failure to cut the live feed of Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury performance. During the live stream, Bobby Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, led chants of “death, death to the IDF”, referring to the Israel Defense Forces. | The Gaza report and the Wallace findings mean Davie is now facing the most challenging week of his five-year leadership of the BBC. Nandy has also criticised the director general over the failure to cut the live feed of Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury performance. During the live stream, Bobby Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, led chants of “death, death to the IDF”, referring to the Israel Defense Forces. |
| In a pointed attack on Davie in the House of Commons, Nandy said one editorial error was “something that must be gripped. When you have several, it becomes a problem of leadership”. This is rejected by senior BBC figures. | In a pointed attack on Davie in the House of Commons, Nandy said one editorial error was “something that must be gripped. When you have several, it becomes a problem of leadership”. This is rejected by senior BBC figures. |
| Meanwhile, the corporation has been criticised internally for failing to broadcast a second documentary over the plight of medics in Gaza. The programme, Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, was eventually shown by Channel 4. | Meanwhile, the corporation has been criticised internally for failing to broadcast a second documentary over the plight of medics in Gaza. The programme, Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, was eventually shown by Channel 4. |