BBC committed 1,500+ bias breaches in Israel-Hamas coverage: Report

Craig Nigrell: A NEW REPORT ACCUSES THE BBC OF DISPLAYING HEAVY BIAS AGAINST ISRAEL IN ITS COVERAGE OF THE ISRAEL-GAZA CONFLICT.

THE REPORT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY A TEAM OF 20 LAWYERS AND 20 DATA SCIENTISTS. AND COMES AFTER A FOURTH-MONTH ANALYSIS OF THE BBC’S OUTPUT ACROSS TELEVISION, RADIO, AND OTHER PLATFORMS.

IN IT- THE GROUP CLAIMS THAT DURING THE PEAK OF THE ISRAEL-HAMAS CONFLICT, THE BBC BREACHED ITS OWN IMPARTIALITY GUIDELINES MORE THAN 15-HUNDRED TIMES. THE REPORT DESCRIBES THIS IS A “DEEPLY WORRYING PATTER OF BIAS.’

THE REPORT UTILIZED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO ANALYZE ABOUT NINE MILLION WORDS OF BBC CONTENT. 

ONE KEY FINDING WAS THAT THE BBC MENTIONED “WAR CRIMES” FOUR TIMES MORE IN RELATION TO ISRAEL THAN HAMAS- 127-TIMES COMPARED TO JUST 30 MENTIONS FOR HAMAS. THE TERM “BREACHING INTERNATIONAL LAW” WAS ALSO USED SIX TIMES MORE OFTEN WITH ISRAEL. AND WHEN IT CAME IT TO THE WORD “GENOCIDE,” IT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH ISRAEL 283-TIMES VERSUS ONLY 19 TIMES FOR THE PALESTINAN GROUP. 

ANOTHER CONCERN RAISED BY THE REPORT WAS THE BBC’S ARABIC BROADCASTS, WHICH REPORTEDLY FEATURED JOURNALISTS WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY MADE STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF HAMAS. THE BBC HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ISSUE BEFORE AND EVEN LAUNCHED THEIR OWN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION INTO SIX REPORTERS. 

BBC SAID IN RESPONSE TO THE REPORT IT WILL CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE FINDINGS, BUT THEY’VE RAISED “SERIOUS QUESTIONS” ABOUT THE METHODOLOGY USE, PARTICULARLY THE RELIANCE TO A-I TO ASSESS IMPARTIALITY. 

A FORMER BBC EXECUTIVE IS NOW CALLING FOR AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO THE BROADCASTER’S COVERAGE. 

TENSIONS AROUND THIS ISSUE HAVE BEEN BREWING FOR SOME TIME. PROTESTERS HAVE GATHERED OUTSIDE THE BBC’S LONDON HEADQUARTERS, UPSET OVER THE BROADCASTER’S CHARACTERIZATION OF HAMAS AS “A RESISTANCE MOVEMENT.

I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI. 

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