This is a cross-post from BBC Watch.
A filmed report titled “Israeli news presenter gets tearful reporting own show’s cancellation” appeared on the BBC News website’s Middle East page on May 10th and remained there for seven consecutive days. The report’s synopsis tells BBC audiences that:
“Presenter Geula Even was unable to hold back her tears after learning while on air that it would be her last show on Israel’s Channel One television. […]
Presenters and reporters of another show later complained that they had been denied a dignified farewell.”
A written report (including the above video) on the same topic – “Israeli TV channel’s sudden closure shocks staff” – also appeared on the website’s Middle East page on May 10th and 11th.
“Israel’s longest-running TV news programme came to an emotional end on Tuesday, hours after its staff were told of their network’s sudden closure.
Presenters of Mabat LaHadashot (A Glance At The News) on Channel One complained of being denied a dignified farewell after 49 years on air.
An earlier show’s presenter choked back tears after learning of the news.”
The subtitles added by the BBC to the filmed report translate Geula Even’s opening sentences as follows:
“We are now getting news, a statement in parliament….Actually tonight will be our last news programme.”
The presenter (who, incidentally, already signed up to work for the new corporation in March) actually said:
“…because now arrives an announcement from the Official Receiver and Liqudator – from David Han – in the Knesset that actually this evening the last edition of the ‘Mabat’ programme will be broadcast. That is due to the wish [unintelligible] the [replacement] corporation to meet its opening day.”
As we see, the BBC has erased the fact that the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) was in receivership for several years from audience view.
The written article similarly makes no mention of the background information crucial to understanding of this story.
Read the rest of this post here.
