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Arab News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
TV director accuses UK culture secretary of ‘bullying' BBC over Gaza coverage
LONDON: Acclaimed TV director Peter Kosminsky has accused UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy of attempting to 'bully' the BBC over its coverage of the Gaza conflict. In a strongly worded letter, Kosminsky — known for the BBC historical drama 'Wolf Hall' — likened the government's actions to those of a 'tinpot dictatorship' and warned against sustained pressure on BBC Director General Tim Davie. 'Could I respectfully suggest that you stop trying to bully the BBC, the nation's primary public service broadcaster, over its coverage of the war in Gaza,' wrote Kosminsky in the letter, reported by The Guardian. He argued that politicians should not 'police the individual editorial decisions of the BBC,' stressing the broadcaster must, above all, maintain public trust. His letter echoed warnings from veteran BBC figure Richard Ayre, who described Nandy's direct intervention as 'outrageous.' Nandy has been a vocal critic of the BBC, pressuring the broadcaster to withdraw its Gaza documentary 'How To Survive a Warzone' after it emerged the young narrator was the son of a Hamas official. She also criticized the broadcasting of a Glastonbury Festival segment featuring the punk-rap duo Bob Vylan chanting anti-IDF slogans. 'For its part, the BBC must ensure that its output is balanced. But this means balanced across the totality of its output,' said Kosminsky, cautioning that past conflicts between government and BBC had ended tragically and citing the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly in 2003. Meanwhile, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has acknowledged recent 'serious failures' at the BBC but framed Nandy's criticism as justified accountability on behalf of license-fee payers. A spokesperson reiterated that editorial independence remained paramount. The controversy comes amid crucial discussions over the BBC's future funding and charter renewal, adding further pressure on its leadership — particularly Davie, who faces mounting scrutiny and internal dissatisfaction over perceived lapses in impartiality and editorial oversight.
Al Mayadeen
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Mayadeen
IOF transfer Al Mayadeen's Nasser al-Lahham to notorious Ofer prison
The Israeli occupation has transferred Al Mayadeen's Palestine bureau chief, Nasser al-Lahham, from the Maskoubiye detention center to Ofer Prison, confirmed the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS), adding that a court session for al-Lahham is scheduled for this coming Thursday. Member of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Omar Nazzal, said the Israeli interrogation of al-Lahham is focused on his work with Al Mayadeen TV. The occupation forces detained al-Lahham at dawn from his home in Beit Lahm, amid an intensified campaign by "Israel" targeting journalists at an unprecedented scale since the start of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the Commission and the PPS stated. According to the statement, the number of journalists who have been arrested or detained since the beginning of the genocide has reached 193. Of those, 50 journalists remain in detention, including Al Mayadeen's al-Lahham. The Commission and the PPS noted that the majority of detained journalists are facing charges related to so-called 'incitement' through social media platforms and news outlets, while others are held under administrative detention based on alleged 'secret files'. The Israeli occupation also categorizes journalists in Gaza as so-called "unlawful combatants". Al Mayadeen Media Network issued a strong-worded statement on Monday denouncing the violent detention of its bureau chief in occupied Palestine. The network said the arrest was carried out with "brutality and repression," demanding al-Lahham's immediate release. Al Mayadeen labeled al-Lahham's detention as part of a wider campaign of repression carried out by Israeli authorities against Palestinian journalists. "We are not surprised by the occupation's sadistic practices," Al Mayadeen said, "nor by its persistent hostility toward journalism, journalists, and the right to report the truth." Al Mayadeen's statement asserted that al-Lahham is one of the most renowned names in Palestinian media, with more than 30 years of experience in journalism. His arrest drew immediate condemnation from across the Arab world, with media figures, press freedom advocates, and political movements expressing solidarity. "For us, Nasser is more than a bureau chief. He is a leading voice in Palestinian journalism, a symbol of purposeful reporting, and a steadfast defender of his people's rights," Al Mayadeen's statement asserted. In late October 2023, Israeli forces raided al-Lahham's home, assaulting his wife and children, conducting an intrusive search, and detaining his two sons, Basil and Basel. Read more: Al Mayadeen holds Beirut, Tehran rallies in support of Nasser Lahham
Al Jazeera
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Israel bombs Iran's state TV after threatening it would ‘disappear'
Israel has attacked the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB and interrupted a live broadcast with an explosion, marking another escalation in the conflict with Tehran and replicating its previous attacks on news media targets in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon. TV anchor Sahar Emami denounced Monday's 'aggression against the homeland' and the 'truth' as a blast went off and smoke and debris filled the screen. The footage then showed her fleeing the studio as a voice is heard calling, 'God is greatest.' The attack came shortly after the Israeli military issued a threat for Tehran's District Three, where IRIB's headquarters is located, and Defence Minister Israel Katz said: 'The Iranian propaganda and incitement mouthpiece is on its way to disappear.' Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei accused Israel of committing a 'wicked act' that constitutes a war crime and of being the number one 'killer of journalists and media people'. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has counted 178 journalists killed in Gaza by Israel since October 2023, making it the deadliest conflict for media workers ever recorded. 'The UNSC [United Nations Security Council] must act now to stop the genocidal aggressor from committing further atrocities against our people,' Baghaei wrote on X. The CPJ said it was 'appalled' by Israel's attack on Iranian state TV and argued impunity for the killings of Palestinian journalists had 'emboldened' the country to target media elsewhere. 'This bloodshed must end now,' the organisation said on X. Peyman Jebelli, the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), said the organisation's headquarters was attacked because the Iranian media are 'precisely targeting the depth of the enemy's media strategy'. In a statement quoted by the semiofficial Mehr News Agency, he said employees at the national media outlet 'loudly declare' their determination to play their roles in the 'hybrid war' initiated by Israel. Iranian journalist Younes Shadlou said many of his colleagues were inside the building when the Israeli attack happened. 'I don't know how many of my colleagues are still inside right now,' he reported from outside the burning building in Tehran 'We had been given evacuation warnings, but everyone stayed until the very last moment to show the true face of the Zionist regime to the world.' Al Jazeera's Dorsa Jabbari said the strike was highly symbolic because it targeted an entity with close links to the Iranian government. 'The head of the network is appointed by the supreme leader directly, so it is a significant part of the establishment,' Jabbari said. 'This is going to be a great shock for the Iranian people,' she continued. The station is located in a large, fortified complex that has a long history dating back to the 1940s. The channel is the most watched inside Iran, and Emami is a renowned anchor. The attack should, therefore, be seen as 'a huge message for Iran and the general public and [it] is going to create all kinds of fears', Jabbari said. Al Jazeera's Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran, said Israel targeted a glass building known as the IRIB's central building. The live broadcast was briefly disrupted, but Emami went back on TV shortly after the blast, which would likely increase her popularity, the journalist said. The number of victims remains unclear. Foad Izadi, professor of international relations at the University of Tehran, said he feared there would be 'a lot of casualties' from the attack. 'It's a huge building,' he told Al Jazeera. 'Iran's news channel is located on the first floor. It has four floors, and on every floor, you have at least 200 to 300 people working.' Izadi said he expected the attack to spark international outrage and be condemned by international media outlets. The Israeli military confirmed in a statement that it has bombed the building of Iran's state broadcaster in Tehran. 'This centre was used by the armed forces to promote military operations under civilian cover, while using its own means and assets,' it said, without giving any evidence for its accusations. Israel has a history of attacking media organisations and journalists, most recently in Gaza. In October, it targeted Hezbollah-affiliated al-Manar TV studios in southern Beirut during a wave of strikes on Lebanon. In May 2021, it targeted and destroyed the 11-storey al-Jalaa building in Gaza City, housing Al Jazeera and The Associated Press. Shireen Abu Akleh, the Palestinian American Al Jazeera journalist, was killed by Israeli forces in May 2022 in Jenin in the occupied West Bank. She was a veteran television correspondent who became a household name across the Arab world for her bold coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
