Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Gatekeepers of Information or Taking Sides in the War?

THE BBC REFUSED to air the video above, an appeal to potential viewers to aid the victims of Israel's three week bombing campaign in Gaza.

The BBC claims that airing the video creates an air of impartiality. They fear that viewers would believe the BBC favors the Palestinians rather than Israel in the long-standing conflict.

Many have protested in England
, saying that by not running the video, the BBC has already sided with Israel.

Would you run the video? Do you think it would reveal a bias? Or is the BBC right to pass on the segment?

11 comments:

Alexander Narita said...

I believe that BBC should air the video because this situation isn't about picking sides in the conflict. It is about helping innocent women and children who are dying because of the conflict.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Alexander. The reason BBC does not want to run it because it will develop controversy and acquire questions asking, "Why are we not helping this". This isn't a video about supporting a certain government, it is showing awareness of the consequences of the arisen conflicts.

Kate said...

What's happening in Gaza is... so sad. It is really heartbreaking to see a video like this. As you mentioned in class today, adding a visual to the news makes the event so much more apparent. It is obvious that these people need help - so why aren't journalists doing their part to spread the word about the terrible situation of these people. This is not a good representation of the "personal conscience" of BBC.

Unknown said...

Should journalist have a moral obligation to help others? Or is our job just to cover the news?

I think part of covering the news is to have an ethical conscious but remaining objective is also key in reporting.

Besides gone are the days where news corporations are unbiased because they are basically controlled by dollars. how can you have free press when the press is under control of corporations?

Just compare and contrast the news that comes out of CNN vs FOX

Anonymous said...

I think the video should have been aired. It reminds me of a commercial running on tv about helping starving children all over the world, and if commercials like that can be aired without controversy why not this video?

Anonymous said...

This video is stricly to make the public aware of the devistation that these children and thir famlies are going through. In any natural disaster the media is quick to promote such videos. Many people are unaware of the caios these people are going through. I believe that by not showing this video the bbc is negelecting their jobs as journalists and as a mass media production. To every conflict their is a positive and negitive. Io every situation there is always two sides or more. in this situation the video is showing the negitive affects that the palestinians have to face daily. I believe that by showig this video it will encourage citizens against hunger and suffering to help their fellow man. Its not about politics its about humanity!

Jasmyne Reaves

Anonymous said...

I believe that the BBC could have easily shown this video, as it says directly "It is not about the rights and wrongs of the conflict," the ad is merely asking for individuals to show compassion for the innocent people who are having their lives torn apart by the conflict. The agency is seeking help to save lives of people are probably not even directly involved in the conflict, merely those displaced and affected by it. I do not think that the video displays bias at all. There are people suffering on both sides of this thing, and they all need to be helped. Obviously with so much of the conflict being taken place on the Gaza Strip, these are the people who are going to be the most affected.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the first two, People are so paranoid now days about what sides they are taking, when there isn't a side your taking, its helping people in need. We have a responsibility as humans to take care of our species, by turning our heads in fear we are cowards and selfish. we do it in our city now with people onthe streets.

Anonymous said...

So last time i checked there is such a thing as a "disclaimer" they are everywhere! My point is that if there was such an internal conflict of the BBC, for running the segment, inform the public that as a company they are not partial to either side. The public can make their own decsion to support the campagin or not. Personally, I would air the piece. Societies ask for help for different disaters,wars, and causes all the time what makes this any differnt?

Anonymous said...

This reminds me of (thank god) EX-presdeint Bush's word play on the war..."with us or with the terrorists"...and how many Americans say stuff like "We have our own homeless people, and we help other countries, that's not fair"

I think both of these views are naive. Some people are left with no freedoms, or choices. If the world is going to be OK, I do think we need to work as one, and help each other out country to country.

Also, awareness only hurts those who created the mess.

Air it.

Amanda DiStefano
(current)Journalism and Society Student

Anonymous said...

This video isn’t about taking sides- it’s about helping victims of war. The BBC should understand the right of the people to know what’s going on in the world. They should air the video, and if they’re worried about stepping on toes, they could make an announcement of impartiality after it plays.

-Jess Dunford