Reviewing BBC complaints procedure functioning in 2020

Throughout 2020 we published details of the outcome of some of our complaints to the BBC:

BBC COMPLAINTS INVOKES ‘COMMON PARLANCE IN THE MEDIA’

BBC NEWS WEBSITE AMENDS BNEI BRAK REPORT

BBC NEWS WEBSITE REPLACES IRRELEVANT PHOTO

BBC NEWS WEBSITE AMENDS INACCURATE CLAIM ABOUT GERMANY’S HIZBALLAH BAN

CAMERA UK PROMPTS CORRECTIONS TO TWO BBC NEWS WEBSITE REPORTS

A BBC TALE OF TWO CITIES, TWO MOSQUES AND ONE COUNTRY

BBC WEBSITE CORRECTS INACCURATE CAPTION CONCERNING ETHIOPIA-BORN MK

CAMERA UK PROMPTS CORRECTION TO BBC’S GAZA STRIP BACKGROUNDER

CAMERA UK PROMPTS CORRECTION TO BBC REPORT ON GOLAN HEIGHTS INCIDENT

BBC NEWS REPLIES TO A COMPLAINT AFTER FOUR MONTHS

BBC NEWS AMENDS INACCURATE CLAIM CONCERNING ‘PREVIOUS US POSITIONS’

BBC NEWS WEBSITE CORRECTS INACCURATE CLAIM IN ARTICLE ON SUDANESE MIGRANTS

Those posts however tell only part of the story. In addition, five complaints were rejected, one was not even acknowledged, two received a reply stating that the time limit for response from the BBC had run out (with no further action taken), five received a reply stating that the time limit for response had run out and referring us to OFCOM and a further fourteen complaints were acknowledged and given a case number following their submission but received no reply at all.

As readers who submitted complaints of their own to the BBC in 2020 will no doubt be aware, throughout the year the corporation cited two factors as explanations for delays in responding within the designated time frame.

Early on in the year BBC Complaints claimed that the failure to handle complaints in a timely manner was due to a (presumably predictable) high volume of complaints relating to the December 2019 UK election. From March onwards BBC Complaints cited staff shortages due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

CAMERA UK raised that issue in our submission to the BBC’s public consultation concerning its complaints procedure in the first quarter of 2020. Nevertheless, steps do not appear to have been taken to counter those issues and ensure that the BBC meet its obligations regarding the time frame for responding to complaints. 

It is hence perhaps not surprising that a recent survey by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) showed that (p36) over half of those polled said that that they are unsatisfied with how the BBC handles complaints relating to antisemitism and 90% of British Jews believe that media bias against Israel fuels persecution of Jews in Britain.

As noted by Stephen Crabb MP, the results of that survey make “sobering reading”. One of the steps which could be taken by BBC management would be to conduct an immediate and thorough review of the complaints procedure which has for more than a year failed to give the public the service it funds and is entitled to receive.

Related Articles:

HOW THE BBC OUTSOURCES ITS COMPLAINTS SYSTEM

NEW BBC COMPLAINTS FRAMEWORK COMES INTO EFFECT

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2 Comments

  1. says: Neil C

    Of course the BBCs inability to respond in any form to a complaint, let alone actually accept that complaints are valid and correct their deliberate lies during the past ten to fifteen years, has created a self perpetuating reduction in complaints as more and more people can no longer be bothered objecting to their rabid antisemitism, pro Iranian, anti British, support of Iranian proxy terrorism. A shameful organization that should no longer be paid for via a license fee, make it subscription only.

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