CAA visits Broadcasting House to tell BBC to switch off the Jew-hate

On Wednesday night, Campaign Against Antisemitism visited Broadcasting House, the BBC’s headquarters in London, to tell the Corporation to “switch off the Jew-hate”. The video can be viewed below.

We projected selected instances from just the past eighteen months of the BBC’s bias against Jews or antisemitism onto the broadcaster’s iconic building.

The intervention comes as the BBC is rocked with controversy over antisemitism, triggered by its abominable coverage of an antisemitic incident on Oxford Street, which its own Executive Complaints Unit has largely defended (and even that defence has had to be further clarified). In December, we held a rally outside Broadcasting House, attended by hundreds of protestors, to deliver the message: “BBC News: Stop Blaming Jews!” Lord Grade, a former Chairman of the BBC, told Podcast Against Antisemitism that the BBC’s reportage was “shoddy journalism” and called for answers in a video supporting the rally, which was endorsed also by Dame Maureen Lipman.

Ofcom is now investigating the coverage, which, as our projections onto the Broadcasting House showed, is only one example of many in which the BBC has exhibited bias against Jews or even indulged in antisemitism. The result has been the gradual erosion of the Jewish community’s confidence in the BBC. Polling that we conducted in 2020 for our Antisemitism Barometer already revealed that two thirds of British Jews were deeply concerned by the BBC’s coverage of matters of Jewish concern, and 55% by its handling of antisemitism complaints. It is likely that these figures would be even higher if polled today.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The BBC seems to be completely comfortable showing contempt for the Jewish community. Its claim to represent all communities was always laughable, but in the wake of recent controversies it is insulting. The broadcaster is making every effort to deflect criticism of its reportage and editorial practices, despite overwhelming evidence that they are not fit for purpose. Neither universal condemnation, nor demonstrations, nor interventions by the Prime Minister and Culture Secretary, nor even the high-profile resignation of a rabbi have moved the BBC to reflect on its failings. It is probably the single most unaccountable organisation in British public life. The BBC’s credibility has worn very thin indeed.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism monitors traditional media and regularly holds outlets to account. If members of the public are concerned about reportage in the media, they should contact us at [email protected].