Category: BBC; News
Date: 19.06.2006
Printable version
Statement by the Board of Governors
The Board of Governors has today published BBC Management's response to the
Independent Panel report on the BBC's coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict.
The following statement was issued by the Board of Governors:
"In October 2005 we commissioned an Independent Panel, chaired by Sir Quentin
Thomas, to 'assess the impartiality of BBC news and current affairs coverage of
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with particular regard to accuracy, fairness,
context, balance and bias, actual or perceived'.
"The Panel's review covered the
BBC's UK domestic public service output only.
"We published the Panel's report last month and welcomed its finding of no
deliberate or systematic bias.
"We also noted the Panel's conclusion that the
evidence showing that most viewers and listeners, at least within the UK, regard
the BBC as unbiased presents a different challenge: the audience say they do not
understand the conflict and, perhaps for that reason, do not see it as important
or interesting.
"The Independent Panel found that in some respects the account given of the
conflict was incomplete and recommended measures to ensure that as full and fair
account as possible was provided and the conflict's complexities properly
reflected.
"As representatives of the public interest it is our duty to ensure
that the BBC provides the public with such coverage.
"We have therefore welcomed
in principle the Panel's constructive proposals for improvement and asked
Management to provide specific suggestions to follow this up.
"The Panel also recommended that there should be a stronger 'editorial guiding
hand'.
"Governors reviewed the BBC's current editorial structure in the context
of the Neil Report on BBC journalism in 2004. Our conclusion then was that the
scale of the BBC as one of the world's largest news gathering operations
required a devolved structure which places accountability for output with
individual programme editors.
"In doing so, we acknowledged then that such a
model requires a team of output editors of the highest quality, working to an
agreed set of principles and with appropriate high level guidance and oversight.
"While there is always likely to be room for improvement, we asked that
Management's response to this recommendation from the Panel should be set in the
context of the Governors' conclusions to the Neil Report.
"On the question of language, the Panel recommended that the word 'terrorism' be
used in respect of relevant events and offered a definition of what the term
means. Governors have discussed this topic on several occasions over the last
year.
"We have not to date been persuaded by arguments to change the Editorial
Guidelines but asked Management to review the Panel's recommendation and give us
their view.
"Following our request, BBC Management has now provided us with their response to
the Independent Panel's recommendations at our June meeting.
"The Board of
Governors welcomes its recommendations for strengthening coverage of the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"In particular, we are pleased to note the decision
to appoint a West Bank correspondent and the positive proposals to use new
technology to provide additional background and context for audiences on-demand.
"On the question of the need for an editorial 'guiding hand' we concur with
Management's arguments for retaining the current editorial structure, while
making improvements to ensure greater oversight and consistency.
"In particular,
we note the proposals for making greater use of the Middle East Editor to
provide a more strategic overview of the news agenda from the region, and for a
more rigorous process of editorial review.
"Overall, we remain confident in the
guidance and oversight provided by the BBC's senior Management team.
"On the question of language we are satisfied that our previous conclusions about
the BBC's Editorial Guidelines (and additional guidance issued by Management)
remain valid.
"As the Management response makes clear, unlike some other
international news organisations, the BBC does not ban the use of the word
terrorist.
"However, the Independent Panel is right that the BBC must strive for
consistency in its use of language, and we welcome the Management commitment to
a more determined effort in this area.
"We will seek evidence of this when
reviewing the BBC's performance.
"The Governors are responsible for safeguarding the BBC's independence from any
external pressure that might affect its output, and likewise, for ensuring that
its output is impartial.
"On behalf of licence fee payers, we judge that the
changes being proposed and implemented by BBC Management in response to the
Independent Panel's report will strengthen the BBC's coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"The Board has requested that the BBC Management should
report to us on progress of implementing the new measures at the end of this
year.
"We endorse the Independent Panel's view that 'the nature of the conflict, and
the breadth of support for each side among its audience, means that the BBC
cannot expect to avoid complaints. Where appropriate the BBC should readily
acknowledge any mistakes made without resisting every charge until the last
ditch.'.
"In addition to the new complaints procedures introduced by BBC
Management in 2005 (the performance of which is monitored by the Governors'
Programme Complaints Committee, and will be reported on in the next Annual
Report), we have reviewed our appeals procedures for programme complaints.
"This
has included public consultation and provided an opportunity for complainants
with experience of the system to submit their opinion.
"The Governors' Programme
Complaints Committee will shortly publish and implement the revised arrangements
for complaints on appeal.
"The changes will provide more transparency and
equality of access to materials considered by the Committee by both appellants
and BBC Management.
"We as Governors are grateful to the Independent Panel members for reviewing the
BBC's performance in its coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and for
their contribution to assisting the BBC in providing the best possible news
output for all licence fee payers.
"We have taken particular note of the
following statement by the Panel and highlight it here for the benefit of all
stakeholders and the Trustees who will succeed us in ensuring the continuing
impartiality of the BBC:
"The BBC's most important features are its independence and integrity.
Accordingly when, after proper consideration, it is satisfied that its coverage
meets the requisite standards it should be robust in its own defence. More
important, it should remain robust in providing distinctive and challenging
programmes, including where appropriate trenchant professional analysis from its
experienced journalists. In our view the interests of the licence fee payer and
the audience generally, are best served in this way. There would be greater
risks in the BBC becoming more cautious under the pressure of interested
parties, than through its maintaining and developing its commitment to high
quality and diverse programming."
"The BBC's commitment to impartiality and the efforts by its journalists and
editors is ongoing.
"We believe that independent, single-subject impartiality
reviews provide a valuable contribution to our work as Governors in monitoring
the BBC's performance.
"We would commend to the new BBC Trust - which will retain
responsibility for ensuring the BBC's impartiality and accuracy under the new
Charter - they continue.
"The last Governors' review will examine the BBC's reporting of business. We
will publish the terms of reference once agreed with the Independent Panel,
which has yet to be appointed.
BBC Governance Unit
