Latest news with #BendePear
Middle East Eye
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Middle East Eye
BBC drops film about Gaza doctors after delaying its broadcast for months
The BBC has announced it has dropped a film about doctors working in Gaza after delaying its broadcast for months. The documentary, Gaza: Medics Under Fire, was ready to broadcast in February but was pulled because of a scandal that erupted over another BBC documentary on children in Gaza, entitled How to Survive a Warzone. Britain's public broadcaster said it would broadcast Gaza: Medics Under Fire after the review into the earlier documentary was concluded. But on Friday, the BBC announced it would not air the film. "We have come to the conclusion that broadcasting this material risked creating a perception of partiality that would not meet the high standards that the public rightly expect of the BBC," the broadcaster said in a statement. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "Therefore, we are transferring ownership of the film material to Basement Films... Any film broadcast will not be a BBC film." 'No moral or professional reason' Basement Films, the company which produced the documentary, had previously questioned the BBC's decision to delay the broadcast, saying, "there is no moral or professional reason why a mistake in one film should repeatedly prevent the release of another film." In a statement on Friday, Basement Films said: "we would like to thank the Doctors and contributors and survivors, and to apologise for not believing them when they said the BBC would never run a film like this. BBC coverage of Israel's war on Gaza 'systematically biased against Palestinians' Read More » "It turned out they were right." The documentary tells the stories of Palestinian doctors working in Gaza under Israeli bombardment and was made by Oscar-nominated, Emmy and Peabody award-winning filmmakers, including Ben de Pear, Karim Shah and Ramita Navai. The BBC did not explain in its statement why the film would not have met "the high standards that the public rightly expect of the BBC". Basement Films said that the BBC "gave us no less than 6 different release dates" after having "told us several times verbally and by email" that the film "had been approved for broadcast". In May, over 600 prominent figures from the arts and media wrote to the BBC, accusing it of "political censorship" over its delay in screening the documentary. "Although the BBC are now taking their names off this film," Basement Films said, "it will remain theirs, and we hope it serves to open up the debate on how the nation's broadcaster covers what is happening in Gaza."
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BBC shelves Gaza doc over impartiality concerns
The BBC says it has decided not to broadcast a documentary about doctors working in Gaza, due to impartiality concerns it has surrounding the production. Gaza: Doctors Under Attack was commissioned by the BBC but produced by an independent production company. It was originally scheduled for broadcast in February, but has not yet aired on any BBC outlet. In a statement, the BBC said it was "determined to report all aspects of the conflict in the Middle East impartially and fairly". BBC News has contacted production company Basement Films for comment. Its founder Ben de Pear said earlier this week the BBC had "utterly failed" and that journalists were "being stymied and silenced". The BBC said it was "transferring ownership of the film material to Basement Films". BBC News understands the decision to shelve the documentary was taken on Thursday, following public comments by De Pear at the Sheffield Documentary Festival, and another of the film's directors, journalist Ramita Navai, who appeared on Radio 4's Today programme discussing the war in Gaza. A different documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, was pulled from iPlayer earlier this year after it emerged its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. Gaza: Doctors Under Attack - also known as Gaza: Medics Under Fire - is said to examine the experiences of Palestinian medics working during the war in Gaza. The film is directed by Karim Shah, Navai and De Pear, a former editor of Channel 4 News. In a statement on Friday, the BBC said it had commissioned the documentary over a year ago, but paused the film in April, "having made a decision that we could not broadcast the film while a review into a separate Gaza documentary was ongoing". "With both films coming from independent production companies, and both about Gaza, it was right to wait for any relevant findings – and put them into action – before broadcasting the film. "However, we wanted the doctors' voices to be heard. Our aim was to find a way to air some of the material in our news programmes, in line with our impartiality standards, before the review was published. "For some weeks, the BBC has been working with Basement Films to find a way to tell the stories of these doctors on our platforms. "Yesterday [Thursday], it became apparent that we have reached the end of the road with these discussions. We have come to the conclusion that broadcasting this material risked creating a perception of partiality that would not meet the high standards that the public rightly expect of the BBC." The corporation added that, contrary to some reports, the documentary had "not undergone the BBC's final pre-broadcast sign-off processes", adding: "Any film broadcast will not be a BBC film." It continued: "We want to thank the doctors and contributors and we are sorry we could not tell their stories. The BBC will continue to cover events in Gaza impartially." Speaking at the Sheffield Documentary Festival on Thursday, before the decision was announced, De Pear specifically blamed director general Tim Davie for refusing to air the film. "All the decisions about our film were not taken by journalists, they were taken by Tim Davie," he claimed while taking part in a panel, as reported by Broadcast. "He is just a PR person. Tim Davie is taking editorial decisions which, frankly, he is not capable of making." He added: "The BBC's primary purpose is TV news and current affairs, and if it's failing on that it doesn't matter what drama it makes or sports it covers. It is failing as an institution. And if it's failing on that then it needs new management. "Something needs to happen because they are making decisions from a PR defensive point of view rather than a journalistic one. If you make a decision on a journalistic basis you can defend it, but if you make it on a PR basis, you can't." In relation to the war, De Pear claimed staff at the BBC "are being forced to use language they don't recognise, they are not describing something as it clearly is [for fear of impartiality] and it's tragic". Responding to De Pear's comments, a BBC spokesperson said the BBC "totally reject[s] this characterisation of our coverage". "The BBC has continually produced powerful journalism about this conflict. Alongside breaking news and ongoing analysis, we have produced original investigations such as those into allegations of abuse of Palestinian prisoners and Israel's use of bunker buster bombs and in-depth documentaries including the award-winning Life and Death in Gaza, and Gaza 101." High-profile figures such as actress Susan Sarandon and presenter Gary Lineker have previously accused the corporation of censorship over the delay. An open letter, which was also signed by cultural figures such as Dame Harriet Walter, Miriam Margolyes, Maxine Peake, Juliet Stevenson and Mike Leigh, said: "This is not editorial caution. It's political suppression." "No news organisation should quietly decide behind closed doors whose stories are worth telling," it continued. "This important film should be seen by the public, and its contributors' bravery honoured." 'I lost trust' in Gaza film, says BBC boss Tim Davie
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Susan Sarandon Among 600+ Actors and Filmmakers Who Demand Release of Gaza Doc at BBC
Susan Sarandon and more than 600 other actors and filmmakers signed and sent an open letter to the BBC this week, demanding the network air a delayed documentary about medics in Gaza. According to the letter obtained by TheWrap, the network is engaging in 'political suppression' rather than 'editorial caution.' The doc at the heart of the letter is 'Gaza: Medics Under Fire,' which details the experiences of medical workers in Gaza amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The film is produced by Emmy and Peabody recipients Ben de Pear, Karim Shah and Ramita Navai, and was originally scheduled to air in January, but has been delayed. Per the letter from UK Screen Industry, 130 of the anonymous signatories are made up of 'more than a dozen BBC staff.' 'The BBC continues to demonstrate bias in its reporting and coverage of events in Gaza, raising continued concern and criticism about the balance and impartiality of its journalism in this region,' the letter reads. The signatories also noted that the film has been 'indefinitely delayed' despite having gone through proper fact-checking and being 'signed off' on. 'This is not editorial caution. It's political suppression. The BBC has provided no timeline, no transparency. Such decisions reinforce the systemic devaluation of Palestinian lives in our media,' they wrote. 'It's hard not to conclude that the BBC's gatekeeping is rooted in racism. The message is clear: Programs about the ongoing genocide, told from Palestinian perspectives, are held to a different standard.' The letter ends by calling for the immediate release of the documentary: 'No news organization should quietly decide behind closed doors whose stories are worth telling. This important film should be seen by the public, and its contributors' bravery honored.' The BBC did not immediately respond to TheWrap's requests for comment. The post Susan Sarandon Among 600+ Actors and Filmmakers Who Demand Release of Gaza Doc at BBC appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Susan Sarandon, Mike Leigh & Harriet Walter Sign Letter Urging BBC To Stop 'Censorship Of Palestinian Voices' & Air ‘Gaza: Medics Under Fire' Doc
Big names including Susan Sarandon, Mike Leigh and Harriet Walter have signed an open letter to the BBC urging the corporation to cease 'the censorship of Palestinian voices' and air a documentary about medics in Gaza. The documentary has been delayed while the BBC investigates events surrounding a separate show, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, after that show was pulled due to links between one of the narrators and Hamas. More from Deadline Netflix UK Boss Anne Mensah Rules Herself Out Of BBC Content Chief Race 'This City Is Ours' Renewed For Season 2 At BBC 'Rivals' Actor Danny Dyer Says Harold Pinter's Death Triggered Him Into "Spiral Of Madness" Gaza: Medics Under Fire was created by a team including ex-Channel 4 news boss Ben de Pear and the team said last week that the screening had been delayed. Today's letter, which is also signed by Channel 4 News International Editor Lindsay Hilsum, Game of Thrones star Indira Varma and actor Miriam Margolyes, said: 'It's hard not to conclude that the BBC's gatekeeping is rooted in racism. The message is clear: Programmes about the ongoing genocide, told from Palestinian perspectives, are held to a different standard.' 'The BBC continues to demonstrate bias in its reporting and coverage of events in Gaza, raising continued concern and criticism about the balance and impartiality of its journalism in this region,' it added. The letter, which was organized by a group calling itself UK Screen Industry along with the Britain Palestine Media Centre, called on BBC Director General Tim Davie to immediately 'broadcast the unreleased documentary.' The BBC has been contacted for comment. The Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone review kicked off in Feb and is yet to report back. At the time it was commissioned, the BBC revealed that the producers were aware of the narrator's links to Hamas and would be investigating further. At last night's BAFTAs, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone director and producer Jamie Roberts, who has been in hot water over that doc, won an award for a separate show about Ukraine. The letter in full Dear Director-General Tim Davie, Over 600 prominent figures—including Oscar-winner Susan Sarandon, Frankie Boyle, and Channel 4's Lindsey Hilsum—have signed an open letter urging the BBC to air Gaza: Medics Under Fire. Among them are 130 anonymous signatories, including more than a dozen BBC staff. We write to you again with deep concern about the censorship of Palestinian voices – this time, medics operating in unimaginable conditions in Gaza. The BBC continues to demonstrate bias in its reporting and coverage of events in Gaza, raising continued concern and criticism about the balance and impartiality of its journalism in this region. It has repeatedly delayed the broadcast of Gaza: Medics Under Fire, a documentary made by Oscar-nominated, Emmy and Peabody award-winning filmmakers, including Ben de Pear, Karim Shah and Ramita Navai. Health Workers 4 Palestine have said in their statement: 'The health workers featured in this documentary have witnessed countless colleagues being killed, and have risked their lives not only to care for their patients, but to document and expose the relentless targeting by Israel of healthcare infrastructure and personnel.' We stand with the medics of Gaza whose voices are being silenced. Their urgent stories are being buried by bureaucracy and political censorship. This documentary was scheduled to air in January but has since been indefinitely delayed. It has undergone rigorous editorial scrutiny. It has been fact-checked and signed off repeatedly, and yet the BBC refuses to set a broadcast date. This is not editorial caution. It's political suppression. The BBC has provided no timeline, no transparency. Such decisions reinforce the systemic devaluation of Palestinian lives in our media. It's hard not to conclude that the BBC's gatekeeping is rooted in racism. The message is clear: Programmes about the ongoing genocide, told from Palestinian perspectives, are held to a different standard. If the voices of Palestinian doctors aren't considered credible—just as the voices of Palestinian children were previously dismissed—then whose voices does the BBC consider legitimate? The production company, Basement Films, has said: 'We gathered searing testimony from multiple Palestinian doctors and health care workers…We are desperate for a confirmed release date in order to be able to tell the surviving doctors and medics when their stories will be told.' Every day this film is delayed, the BBC fails in its commitment to inform the public, fails in its journalistic responsibility to report the truth, and fails in its duty of care to these brave contributors. We demand a release date for Gaza: Medics Under Fire—NOW. No news organisation should quietly decide behind closed doors whose stories are worth telling. This important film should be seen by the public, and its contributors' bravery honoured. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery All The Songs In Netflix's 'Forever': From Tyler The Creator To SZA 'Poker Face' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Arrive On Peacock?
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BBC puts new Gaza film on hold amid bias row
A new BBC Gaza documentary is facing an 'indefinite' delay until a review into a controversial film with links to Hamas has been completed. The programme, provisionally titled Gaza: Medics Under Fire, follows Palestinian doctors and health-care workers in the war zone, and had been due to air in February. However, it was pulled after a previous film on Gaza was found to have been narrated by the son of a Hamas government minister. The contentious documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, featured Abdullah al-Yazouri as its teenage narrator, but did not disclose his family's links to the proscribed terror group. The BBC removed the film from iPlayer amid a backlash, admitting 'serious flaws' in its production, and announced an internal investigation. The review will look at errors including the payment of £790 by an independent production company, Hoyo Films, to the boy's family. It has now emerged that the investigation has led to a separate documentary, Gaza: Medics Under Fire, being put on hold. The film's production company, Basement Films, expressed frustration that its work could be affected by the scandal. The company, which is not linked to the film under investigation, said it was 'deeply disappointed' with the 'repeated and indefinite delays'. The documentary includes interviews with Palestinian doctors who survived attacks on hospitals, with some claiming to have been detained and tortured. 'We are desperate for a confirmed release date in order to be able to tell the surviving doctors and medics when their stories will be told,' the production company added. The BBC said that it would show the film 'as soon as possible' after its review into Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone had finished, but it has not set a date. A spokesman for the corporation said: 'This documentary is a powerful piece of reporting and we will broadcast it as soon as possible. We have taken an editorial decision not to do so while we have an ongoing review into a previous documentary. Basement Films is run by Ben de Pear, a former editor at Channel 4 News, who has won Emmy and Bafta awards for his work. The Times reported that one BBC insider claimed the fallout from the first film had left bosses 'terrified' of showing anything about Gaza, but that others were reportedly relieved that it had been held back. 'The BBC has already done a lot about the suffering of Gazans because of Israel's actions,' the insider told The Times. The review is being led by Peter Johnston, the BBC's editorial complaints chief. He has interviewed staff and the team behind Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, but The Times reported that legal issues have slowed its progress. Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, has told Dr Samir Shah, the BBC chairman, that it will step in if not satisfied with the internal investigation. It comes after The Telegraph revealed that the BBC is to appoint an independent figure to investigate allegations of anti-Semitism on its Arabic channel. On Saturday, Dr Shah also suggested the corporation's wider reporting on the Israel-Gaza conflict would now be reviewed. Speaking to Times Radio, he said: 'The Arabic service, we are looking at it, we've been examining it. I think this whole business of how we've covered Israel-Gaza is a proper thing to examine thoroughly, which is why we're going to identify... we're going to get hold of an independent figure to look at our coverage.' BBC sources said a 'thematic review' of its reporting on the Middle East conflict will be 'independent and published in full' for presentation to the board. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
