UK parliamentary media committee members questioned BBC Director of Editorial Policy and Standards David Jordan on whether the institution's policy for broadcasting the ICJ hearings was fair.
Opposition Labour Party MP Julie Elliott asked Jordan, "Do you think it was fair to give very little coverage to South Africa's presentation and then move on to the post office inquiry, which is again a very, very important story, but then the next day give hours to the other side's (Israel's) presentation?"
When the BBC official attempted to answer the question by explaining the channel's news flow, MP Elliott repeated the question: "Do you think that was fair, impartial, and balanced?"
'WE ARE IN A REASONABLE POSITION'
BBC Director of Editorial Policy and Standards Jordan replied, "I think when you look at our coverage of the decisions, we are generally in a reasonable position."
The British MP then stated, "David, do you think it was fair and impartial? I am talking about the broadcast of the two-day hearings, not the rest of the news."
Jordan noted that the institution included both sides of the conflict and the presentations made to the ICJ in its international news coverage, but that an editorial decision was made to broadcast the post office inquiry, which was taking place at the same time as the ICJ hearings, in its UK news coverage.
BBC official Jordan stated, "Looking back, the news team thought that perhaps it was a mistake not to treat the two live events similarly or the same."
News Source: AA
