The BBC is to be sanctioned by Ofcom after its documentary, Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone, was deemed “materially misleading.” The media regulator found the programme failed to disclose that the narrator’s father held a position within the Hamas-run administration.
Given the serious breach of the Broadcasting Code, the BBC will be ordered to broadcast Ofcom’s findings.
The watchdog stated: “We concluded that this was materially misleading, in breach of Rule 2.2 of the Broadcasting Code, because it had the potential to erode the very high levels of trust audiences would have expected in a BBC factual programme about the Israel-Gaza war.”
“Breaches of the Code that have resulted in the audience being materially misled have always been considered by Ofcom to be among the most serious that can be committed by a broadcaster, because they go to the heart of the relationship of trust between a broadcaster and its audience.
“This is particularly pertinent in the case of a public service broadcaster such as the BBC.
“In light of the serious breach in this case, Ofcom is imposing a sanction. Ofcom is directing the BBC to broadcast a statement of its findings on BBC2 at 9pm on a date and in a form to be determined by Ofcom.”
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