Open this BBC complaints web page in a new window:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaints/make-a-complaint/#/Complaint
# Item on questionnaire => Enter this
1. What is the complaint about => BBC Website or Apps
2. Which web is your complaint about => BBC News Website
3. Please give the URL => https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-67039975
4. Are you contacting us about a previous complaint? => No
5. Selected the best category of your complaint => Biased reporting
6. What is the subject of your complaint => Biased reporting and poor journalistic standard
7. Please enter your complaint, sample text => Paste in the text between the cuts
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This article (edition of 1/12/23) is representative of my complaint about biased reporting of Gaza-Israel. The bias is systematic throughout BBC News coverage. 3 examples exemplify the bias:
1) The same standard is not applied to descriptions of the intent of leaders of Israel, as to the leaders in Gaza. The article states that “The group wants to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamic state.” However, there is no mention of equivalent statements made by senior Israeli leaders, eg: the PM’s “Amalek” statement; the Defence Minister’s “we are fighting human animals and we act accordingly.” This is a serious omission as 880 experts of international law/genocide have made this statement: https://www.commondreams.org/news/legal-scholars-israel-genocide
2) Stories humanise Israelis but not Palestinians. This powerful journalist’s tool should be used fairly. A count since Oct. 7th shows 8 times more Israelis were named, and their individual stories told, than Palestinians. Typically, only numbers of Palestinians are given. For instance, these 2 webpages were listed side-by-side in the breaking news feed on 25/11/23. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-67536721
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-67477240.
The first article is also biased by omission. It should explain that most of the Palestinians were held under extra-judicial “administrative” detention.
3) The website (on 28/11/23) correctly states that Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas but is misleading by omission. No explanation that 80% of the population are refugees who were displaced in order to create the Israeli state – see Ilan Pappe (2006) Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine.
BBC News is failing to uphold the standards of journalistic rigour and integrity expected of a publicly funded broadcaster. As the extent of bias is so grave, I ask that you present this complaint to Deborah Turness, and I request that she personally responds.
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8. Do you require a response => “Yes”
9. => Complete you details and submit.
10. You’ll be sent an email => Confirm your email address with in the short time limit.
11. When you receive your reply with reference number => please send a copy to wapscgroup@gmail.com
12. Your reply will have a case number. ==> The first reply you will receive will be generic. Go back to the web site and make a follow up complaint. At step (4) above say “Yes” this is an existing complaint – give the case number. Simply say that you want a reply from the author/editor that specifically addresses the details of your initial complaint.