Latest news with #HowtoSurviveaWarzone
The National
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Frankie Boyle among stars to blast BBC over Gaza documentary delay
MORE than 600 famous figures including comedian Frankie Boyle and Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon have accused on the BBC of 'political suppression' in its decision to delay the airing of a documentary on Gaza's doctors. The documentary titled Gaza: Medics Under Fire was reportedly ready to be broadcast in February but has been shelved following the controversy around How to Survive a Warzone, which featured the son of a Hamas official. The production firm behind the documentary on Gaza doctors, Basement Films, said the BBC has postponed airing the film until after a review into How to Survive a Warzone is completed. A number of NHS doctors are reportedly writing to the BBC to air their frustrations over its decision to delay the screening of the film after they helped to introduce the documentary team to their counterparts in Gaza. Now more than 600 prominent figures have signed an open letter to director-general Tim Davie expressing 'deep concern' about the 'censorship of Palestinian voices'. READ MORE: BBC 'sorry' for wrong pronouns during Supreme Court gender report The letter accuses the BBC of 'demonstrating bias' in its reporting of events in Gaza, including in repeatedly delaying the broadcast of Gaza: Medics Under Fire, which signatories say represents 'political suppression'. 'This documentary was scheduled to air in January but has since been indefinitely delayed. It has undergone rigorous editorial scrutiny. It has been fact-checked and signed off repeatedly, and yet the BBC refuses to set a broadcast date,' the letter states. 'This is not editorial caution. It's political suppression. The BBC has provided no timeline, no transparency. Such decisions reinforce the systemic devaluation of Palestinian lives in our media. 'It's hard not to conclude that the BBC's gatekeeping is rooted in racism. The message is clear: Programmes about the ongoing genocide, told from Palestinian perspectives, are held to a different standard. 'If the voices of Palestinian doctors aren't considered credible – just as the voices of Palestinian children were previously dismissed – then whose voices does the BBC consider legitimate? 'Every day this film is delayed, the BBC fails in its commitment to inform the public, fails in its journalistic responsibility to report the truth, and fails in its duty of care to these brave contributors.' Demanding a release date for the documentary, the letter added: 'No news organisation should quietly decide behind closed doors whose stories are worth telling.' (Image: PA) Other signatories of the letter include ex-BBC journalist Karishma Patel – who quit the BBC over its reporting on Gaza – and actress Maxine Peake (above). Historian William Dalrymple has also criticised the broadcaster's decision as he said the broadcaster is 'wrecking its reputation' over its failure to hold the Israeli Government to account. The independent documentary production company Basement Films said it was 'deeply disappointed' that its film had not yet been aired yet, amid suggestions that the BBC had reversed an original plan to press ahead with the screening. 'There is no moral or professional reason why a mistake in one film should repeatedly prevent the release of another film,' the company said. The BBC has been approached for comment. Calls for BBC to become 'public service mutual' Elsewhere, media expert Tom Mills has called major reform at the BBC insisting it should become 'public service mutual', with members actively involved in its operations. Mills – who wrote The BBC: Myth of a Public Service – said these powers will create a 'direct relationship' between the public and the broadcaster, enabling them to hold management to account and be involved in setting the BBC's strategy. (Image: Tom Mills) The Aston University sociologist has made the call ahead of the review of the BBC's Royal Charter in 2027, which defines the BBC's constitution and public purposes. He points out that while the BBC is funded by the public, they have no control over how it works, while governments 'have interfered' with the broadcaster's independence and 'weakened' its public service mission. 'Unless the BBC is radically reformed, it faces a bleak future of dwindling audiences, collapsing funding and eventual irrelevance, depriving British audiences of one of the few national institutions with a duty to serve their needs and interests,' he said. 'The next BBC Royal Charter should mutualise the BBC, transforming it into an organisation owned and controlled by the British public. 'A mutualised BBC would continue to be an independent public service media institution, but one founded on a genuinely democratic relationship with the public.' Setting out proposals for the reform, Mills said members of a mutualised BBC would be 'sovereign' and represented by a members' council which would organise members' participation in the BBC's activities and directly hold the BBC executive to account. He added that any future funding mechanism by the BBC must be 'free from government control' and rated progressively on ability to pay. Other proposals include:
South Wales Argus
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Susan Sarandon and Frankie Boyle among signatories urging BBC to air Gaza film
Figures from across the film, TV, journalism and cultural sectors have signed their name in an open letter urging BBC director general Tim Davie to air the unreleased documentary, Gaza: Medics Under Fire. The letter has been sent on behalf of the UK Screen Industry, made up of a 'group of concerned film and TV professionals'. Tim Davie, director general of the BBC (Andrew Milligan/PA) The documentary, which includes eyewitness accounts from frontline Palestinian health workers in Gaza and documents attacks on hospitals and clinics, was due to air in January. But it was delayed by the BBC until an ongoing review into a different programme in the region was completed. The BBC pulled the documentary How to Survive a Warzone in February after it emerged its 13-year old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. The letter, signed by more than a dozen anonymous BBC staff, said: 'This documentary was scheduled to air in January but has since been indefinitely delayed. It has undergone rigorous editorial scrutiny. It has been fact-checked and signed off repeatedly, and yet the BBC refuses to set a broadcast date. 'This is not editorial caution. It's political suppression. The BBC has provided no timeline, no transparency. Such decisions reinforce the systemic devaluation of Palestinian lives in our media. 'It's hard not to conclude that the BBC's gatekeeping is rooted in racism. The message is clear: Programmes about the ongoing genocide, told from Palestinian perspectives, are held to a different standard. 'Every day this film is delayed, the BBC fails in its commitment to inform the public, fails in its journalistic responsibility to report the truth, and fails in its duty of care to these brave contributors.' Also among the 600 or so signatories are Channel 4 News international editor, Lindsey Hilsum, and actors Game of Thrones' Indira Varma, Killing Eve's Dame Harriet Walter, and Sweetpea star Olivia Cooke. Director Mike Leigh also added his name to the list along with actress Miriam Margolyes and Bend It Like Beckham's Juliet Stevenson. Ruhi Hamid, a filmmaker who signed the letter, said: 'As a documentary filmmaker, I know how much work, risk, and responsibility goes into telling the truth – especially in places like Gaza. 'When the BBC, a public service broadcaster, chooses to suppress a film that highlights the lifesaving work of doctors under siege, it doesn't just fail the filmmakers. It fails the public. 'It sends a message that some truths are too inconvenient to air, and that some lives – especially Palestinian lives—are less worthy of compassion or coverage. 'That's not just editorial judgment. That's a failure of journalistic integrity – and it's dangerous for our entire industry.' Rose Glandfield, a documentary editor who also signed the letter added: 'As a Jewish woman from a family of pacifists, I was raised with the belief that our humanity is defined by how we respond to the suffering of others, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, or religion. Bearing witness to injustice and standing up for those in danger is not only a moral imperative, it is a core part of my identity.' The production company behind the new documentary, Basement Films, said they gathered 'searing testimony from multiple Palestinian doctors and healthcare workers' and are 'desperate' to confirm a release date. The broadcaster has responded to the delay and said it will release the documentary 'as soon as possible'. A BBC spokesperson said: 'We are committed to journalism which tells our audiences the stories of this war, including what is happening in Gaza. This documentary is a powerful piece of reporting and we will broadcast it as soon as possible. 'We have taken an editorial decision not to do so while we have an ongoing review into a previous documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone.' The BBC previously apologised over 'serious flaws' in releasing How To Survive a Warzone with Davies saying he lost 'trust' in the film after learning of the Hamas connection. It is understood that the BBC will respond to the letter in due course and will not cancel the documentary. The broadcaster launched a review into the film and has delayed the release of the new documentary with no current date in place for when it will air.
Glasgow Times
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Susan Sarandon and Frankie Boyle among signatories urging BBC to air Gaza film
Figures from across the film, TV, journalism and cultural sectors have signed their name in an open letter urging BBC director general Tim Davie to air the unreleased documentary, Gaza: Medics Under Fire. The letter has been sent on behalf of the UK Screen Industry, made up of a 'group of concerned film and TV professionals'. Tim Davie, director general of the BBC (Andrew Milligan/PA) The documentary, which includes eyewitness accounts from frontline Palestinian health workers in Gaza and documents attacks on hospitals and clinics, was due to air in January. But it was delayed by the BBC until an ongoing review into a different programme in the region was completed. The BBC pulled the documentary How to Survive a Warzone in February after it emerged its 13-year old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. The letter, signed by more than a dozen anonymous BBC staff, said: 'This documentary was scheduled to air in January but has since been indefinitely delayed. It has undergone rigorous editorial scrutiny. It has been fact-checked and signed off repeatedly, and yet the BBC refuses to set a broadcast date. 'This is not editorial caution. It's political suppression. The BBC has provided no timeline, no transparency. Such decisions reinforce the systemic devaluation of Palestinian lives in our media. 'It's hard not to conclude that the BBC's gatekeeping is rooted in racism. The message is clear: Programmes about the ongoing genocide, told from Palestinian perspectives, are held to a different standard. 'Every day this film is delayed, the BBC fails in its commitment to inform the public, fails in its journalistic responsibility to report the truth, and fails in its duty of care to these brave contributors.' Also among the 600 or so signatories are Channel 4 News international editor, Lindsey Hilsum, and actors Game of Thrones' Indira Varma, Killing Eve's Dame Harriet Walter, and Sweetpea star Olivia Cooke. Director Mike Leigh also added his name to the list along with actress Miriam Margolyes and Bend It Like Beckham's Juliet Stevenson. Ruhi Hamid, a filmmaker who signed the letter, said: 'As a documentary filmmaker, I know how much work, risk, and responsibility goes into telling the truth – especially in places like Gaza. 'When the BBC, a public service broadcaster, chooses to suppress a film that highlights the lifesaving work of doctors under siege, it doesn't just fail the filmmakers. It fails the public. 'It sends a message that some truths are too inconvenient to air, and that some lives – especially Palestinian lives—are less worthy of compassion or coverage. 'That's not just editorial judgment. That's a failure of journalistic integrity – and it's dangerous for our entire industry.' Rose Glandfield, a documentary editor who also signed the letter added: 'As a Jewish woman from a family of pacifists, I was raised with the belief that our humanity is defined by how we respond to the suffering of others, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, or religion. Bearing witness to injustice and standing up for those in danger is not only a moral imperative, it is a core part of my identity.' The production company behind the new documentary, Basement Films, said they gathered 'searing testimony from multiple Palestinian doctors and healthcare workers' and are 'desperate' to confirm a release date. The broadcaster has responded to the delay and said it will release the documentary 'as soon as possible'. A BBC spokesperson said: 'We are committed to journalism which tells our audiences the stories of this war, including what is happening in Gaza. This documentary is a powerful piece of reporting and we will broadcast it as soon as possible. 'We have taken an editorial decision not to do so while we have an ongoing review into a previous documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone.' The BBC previously apologised over 'serious flaws' in releasing How To Survive a Warzone with Davies saying he lost 'trust' in the film after learning of the Hamas connection. It is understood that the BBC will respond to the letter in due course and will not cancel the documentary. The broadcaster launched a review into the film and has delayed the release of the new documentary with no current date in place for when it will air.
South Wales Guardian
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Susan Sarandon and Frankie Boyle among signatories urging BBC to air Gaza film
Figures from across the film, TV, journalism and cultural sectors have signed their name in an open letter urging BBC director general Tim Davie to air the unreleased documentary, Gaza: Medics Under Fire. The letter has been sent on behalf of the UK Screen Industry, made up of a 'group of concerned film and TV professionals'. The documentary, which includes eyewitness accounts from frontline Palestinian health workers in Gaza and documents attacks on hospitals and clinics, was due to air in January. But it was delayed by the BBC until an ongoing review into a different programme in the region was completed. The BBC pulled the documentary How to Survive a Warzone in February after it emerged its 13-year old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. The letter, signed by more than a dozen anonymous BBC staff, said: 'This documentary was scheduled to air in January but has since been indefinitely delayed. It has undergone rigorous editorial scrutiny. It has been fact-checked and signed off repeatedly, and yet the BBC refuses to set a broadcast date. 'This is not editorial caution. It's political suppression. The BBC has provided no timeline, no transparency. Such decisions reinforce the systemic devaluation of Palestinian lives in our media. 'It's hard not to conclude that the BBC's gatekeeping is rooted in racism. The message is clear: Programmes about the ongoing genocide, told from Palestinian perspectives, are held to a different standard. 'Every day this film is delayed, the BBC fails in its commitment to inform the public, fails in its journalistic responsibility to report the truth, and fails in its duty of care to these brave contributors.' Also among the 600 or so signatories are Channel 4 News international editor, Lindsey Hilsum, and actors Game of Thrones' Indira Varma, Killing Eve's Dame Harriet Walter, and Sweetpea star Olivia Cooke. Director Mike Leigh also added his name to the list along with actress Miriam Margolyes and Bend It Like Beckham's Juliet Stevenson. Ruhi Hamid, a filmmaker who signed the letter, said: 'As a documentary filmmaker, I know how much work, risk, and responsibility goes into telling the truth – especially in places like Gaza. 'When the BBC, a public service broadcaster, chooses to suppress a film that highlights the lifesaving work of doctors under siege, it doesn't just fail the filmmakers. It fails the public. 'It sends a message that some truths are too inconvenient to air, and that some lives – especially Palestinian lives—are less worthy of compassion or coverage. 'That's not just editorial judgment. That's a failure of journalistic integrity – and it's dangerous for our entire industry.' Rose Glandfield, a documentary editor who also signed the letter added: 'As a Jewish woman from a family of pacifists, I was raised with the belief that our humanity is defined by how we respond to the suffering of others, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, or religion. Bearing witness to injustice and standing up for those in danger is not only a moral imperative, it is a core part of my identity.' The production company behind the new documentary, Basement Films, said they gathered 'searing testimony from multiple Palestinian doctors and healthcare workers' and are 'desperate' to confirm a release date. The broadcaster has responded to the delay and said it will release the documentary 'as soon as possible'. A BBC spokesperson said: 'We are committed to journalism which tells our audiences the stories of this war, including what is happening in Gaza. This documentary is a powerful piece of reporting and we will broadcast it as soon as possible. 'We have taken an editorial decision not to do so while we have an ongoing review into a previous documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone.' The BBC previously apologised over 'serious flaws' in releasing How To Survive a Warzone with Davies saying he lost 'trust' in the film after learning of the Hamas connection. It is understood that the BBC will respond to the letter in due course and will not cancel the documentary. The broadcaster launched a review into the film and has delayed the release of the new documentary with no current date in place for when it will air.
Middle East Eye
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Prominent health workers accuse BBC of 'censorship' for withholding film on Gaza medics
Prominent health workers have written to the BBC expressing "profound outrage" over its decision to delay the broadcast of a new film about doctors working in Gaza, which they say is "censorship by omission". The documentary, Gaza: Medics Under Fire, was ready to broadcast in February but was pulled because of a scandal that erupted over another BBC documentary on children in Gaza, entitled How to Survive a Warzone. The BBC launched a review into the film after the Israeli embassy in London and British ministers criticised it over revelations that its 13-year-old narrator Abdullah al-Yazuri's father is a technocrat in Gaza's Hamas-administered government. Britain's public broadcaster has said it will broadcast Gaza: Medics Under Fire after the review into the earlier documentary has been concluded, although it is not clear when that will be. The new film has been signed off by the broadcaster's lawyers, and the BBC reportedly abandoned an earlier plan to screen the film despite the review. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Amira Nimerawi, the CEO of Health Workers 4 Palestine, Dr Omar Abel Mannan, its founder and president, and Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, the rector of Glasgow University who worked in Gaza's hospitals in 2023, were among healthcare workers who signed an open letter to the BBC's Director-General Tim Davie on Thursday. "This is not a neutral editorial choice," they wrote. "The BBC's refusal to air this film constitutes censorship by omission, and it is no less dangerous than overt propaganda. "By denying the public access to this crucial testimony, the BBC is actively shielding war crimes from scrutiny and undermining its own stated commitment to impartiality, truth, and public service." 'No moral or professional reason' Basement Films, the documentary's producer, said it was "deeply disappointed" at the BBC's decision, adding: "There is no moral or professional reason why a mistake in one film should repeatedly prevent the release of another film. "We gathered searing testimony from multiple Palestinian doctors and health workers who had survived attacks on hospitals and their homes that killed both colleagues and loved ones. The Settlers: Louis Theroux takes an unflinching look at the Israelis intent on stealing the West Bank Read More » "We also spoke to multiple medics who had been detained and testified they had been tortured, and we made solemn undertakings that their stories would be told, and done so as soon as possible." Basement Films added: "The film has been made by an experienced and multi-award-winning team both from Basement Films, and the BBC. It has been fact-checked, complied and signed off multiple times within the BBC, as well as experts we consulted with. "We are desperate for a confirmed release date in order to be able to tell the surviving doctors and medics when their stories will be told." The letter on Thursday noted that the health workers featured in the BBC film "have witnessed countless colleagues being killed, and have risked their lives not only to care for their patients, but to document and expose the relentless targeting by Israel of healthcare infrastructure and personnel". A spokesperson for the BBC said: "We are committed to journalism which tells our audiences the stories of this war, including what is happening in Gaza. "This documentary is a powerful piece of reporting and we will broadcast it as soon as possible. We have taken an editorial decision not to do so while we have an ongoing review into a previous documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone." This comes just over a week after the BBC aired Louis Theroux's film The Settlers, which recived enormous attention and focused on Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
