BBC sanctioned for failing to disclose Gaza documentary narrator’s ties to Hamas

A logo of the BBC is seen at the BBC Headquarters in London, Britain, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

LONDON — Britain’s media regulator sanctioned the BBC on Friday for a “materially misleading” documentary on the lives of children in Gaza because it failed to disclose that the father of the teen narrator held a position in the Hamas administration.

The regulator Ofcom said the BBC breached the Broadcasting Code, saying that “had the potential to erode the very high levels of trust audiences would have expected” in a factual program about the Israel-Gaza war. It ordered the BBC to make a statement about the findings on its 9 p.m. newscast.

“Breaches of the code that have resulted in the audience being materially misled have always been considered by Ofcom to be among the most serious that can be committed by a broadcaster, because they go to the heart of the relationship of trust between a broadcaster and its audience,” Ofcom said.

The BBC previously apologized after acknowledging “serious flaws” in the making of “Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone” and removed it from its online player.

It said Friday that Ofcom’s findings were in line with its internal review that found “significant failing” following its own accuracy guidelines. It said it would accept the penalty.

The documentary was narrated by Abdullah, the 13-year-old son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas’ deputy agriculture minister.

The BBC said that the independent production company, Hoyo Films, bore the most responsibility for the failure because it didn’t share the background information regarding the narrator’s father. Hoyo Films apologized for the lapse.

The BBC received hundreds of complaints alleging that the documentary was biased against Israel — as well as hundreds more criticizing the program’s removal from its streaming service, Director-General Tim Davie told lawmakers earlier this year.

A group of 500 media figures, including directors Ken Loach and Mike Leigh and actor Riz Ahmed, signed a letter published by Artists for Palestine UK saying a “political” campaign to discredit the program risked dehumanizing Palestinian voices in the media.

The BBC has been under intense scrutiny for its coverage touching on the war in Gaza. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and others have condemned the broadcaster for livestreaming a performance by rap punk duo Bob Vylan, who led crowds at this year’s Glastonbury Festival in chanting “death” to the Israeli military.