The BBC has provoked anger by rejecting calls to describe organisations like Hamas as terrorists, saying it will only use this term when it is attributed to others.
A proposed new version of its editorial guidelines says the word ‘terrorist’ should only be used when ‘quoting or citing its use by others’, a continuation of the current rules.
This is despite the huge row caused in the aftermath of the October 7th massacre by Hamas in Israel, where the corporation refused to call the attackers terrorists.
That decision was made even though the British government classes Hamas as a proscribed terrorist organisation.
The row saw the president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, condemn the BBC for its ‘atrocious’ refusal to brand Hamas as a terrorist group.
Nova festival attendees flee Hamas during the incursion on October 7
The BBC has maintained its stance throughout the conflict, saying last October it was a long-standing position for its reporters not to use the term unless attributing it to someone else
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis had accused broadcasters of trying to ‘wilfully mislead’ by not using the word terrorist.
A revised draft of its Editorial Guidelines has been revealed which the BBC will now consult on.
It reveals that despite some cosmetic changes to the wording of how to deal with the term ‘terrorist’, the rules remain essential the same.
The proposed new guidelines say: ‘The term ‘terrorist’ should only be used with attribution ie. when quoting or citing its use by others.
‘Content makers should not adopt other people’s language as their own; their responsibility is to remain objective and report in a way that enables audiences to make their own assessments.’
‘The BBC should convey to the audience the full consequences of an act by describing the perpetrators as, for example, ‘bombers’, ‘gunmen’, ‘kidnappers’, ‘insurgents’ and ‘militants’.’
A spokesman for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: ‘The BBC’s problem is not so much deficient guidelines as it is a failure to adhere to them.
‘From its failure to accurately and impartially describe proscribed antisemitic Islamist organisations as terrorists, while at the same time using the term for other terror groups, to misreporting on the Middle East and refusing to apologise when caught out, the BBC has been failing its current affairs consumers for a long time.’
‘The answer is a change in culture, not a change in a few commas. We are carefully examining the proposed amendments to the guidelines and will make our views clear to the BBC.’
Broadcaster and journalist Jonathan Sacerdoti, who is also a campaigner against antisemitism, said: ‘The term ‘terrorism’ is not a label of disapproval but a description of methods and actions. To most normal humans it’s totally clear when it should be used and it can be use entirely objectively and factually.’
He added: ‘The year since October 7th should have helped the BBC figure out a better approach.
‘They’re so deliberately blind and deaf to the evidence given to them by those who have complained about this absurd policy that they haven’t used this time to work out something more intelligent than their continued refusal to change a nonsensical, offensive policy which is inconsistently applied.’
The consultation document for the new rules also reveals the corporation is preparing to take a more tolerant approach to ‘offensive’ views on its shows, in a bid to hear a full range of opinions.
It said the guideline on ‘breadth of opinion’ had been expanded and ‘recognises that appropriate breadth and diversity’ may mean ‘the inclusion of views some in the audience find offensive’.
When there are ‘difficult judgements’ to be made about offensive views they will be mandatorily referred upwards.
The consultation document says: ‘There is a new mandatory referral which escalates decision-making when these very difficult judgements need to be made.
‘Its intention is to guard against ‘self-censorship’ where avoiding offence by omitting views which are potentially offensive – but legitimate – may sometimes seem to be a ‘safer’ option.’
There are also plans for the guideline on religious debate amended to remove the phrase ‘contributors should not be allowed to denigrate the beliefs of others. It has been taken out amid concerns it had ‘the potential to stifle debate’.
The proposed new guidelines will also for the first time recognise the impartiality issues that come from artificial intelligence (AI).
Rules around racist language and discriminatory terms has been expanded to include gestures.
Cars abandoned in the road near the Nova festival in the aftermath of the October 7 atrocities
Hamas swept into Israel on October 7, killing some 1,170 people and taking 251 hostage
The BBC said: ‘The BBC has opened a consultation on a revised draft of the Editorial Guidelines.
‘These set the editorial standards for the BBC and apply to everyone who works or produces output for the BBC.
‘The guidelines cover a range of topics including impartiality, accuracy, fairness and privacy.
‘The guidelines also reflect the Ofcom Broadcasting Code but go further than the Code, for example in the application of due accuracy and due impartiality.’
The consultation is open from 7 November to 19 December 2024.
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