Study Finds Bias In BBC Reports

22 Jul

Posted by Isaiah in Commentary, Current Affairs.

BBC It’s been known for some time now that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has a bias towards the “Palestinian cause” when reporting on developments in the Middle East and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A study by Honest Reporting — an independent, non-profit organization whose intention is to monitor and ensure fair reporting in the media — has now proven just that.

The research, conducted over 6 months, monitored 286 articles and pictures appearing on the BBC News web site between January and June 2007.

The conclusion?

There is indeed “… a clear pattern of showcasing the Palestinian perspective, at the expense of Israeli voices” in BBC reports on the conflict. Two major findings form the basis of the conclusion:

Headlines and text used to describe Palestinian violence were more ambiguous while more direct words were used in cases where the Israeli military is involved.
Palestinian perspectives are consistently highlighted at the expense of Israeli points of view.

Read the full report at HonestReporting.com.