Media

Outgoing BBC Boss Tim Davie Rolls Out Anti-Discrimination Training Post-Resignation

Many Jews had concluded that the BBC had become ‘institutionally hostile’ to Israel, the leaders said. © Hollie Adams/Getty Images

The BBC has ordered staff to complete mandatory anti-Semitism training following a series of scandals at the broadcaster.
Tim Davie, the outgoing director-general, has told staff they have six months to complete the new course, which aims to end “any form of discrimination, prejudice, or intolerance” at the corporation.
It follows the publication by The Telegraph last month of an internal memo which revealed anti-Israel bias in the BBC’s news coverage, and prompted Mr Davie to resign.
The broadcaster has also been embroiled in controversy over a Gaza documentary, and its decision not to cut anti-Semitic chants from its coverage of rap act Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury set.
The documentary, called Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, prominently featured the son of a Hamas official, whose identity was not disclosed to viewers at the time. The revelation later led to it being pulled from the airwaves.
Abdullah al-Yazouri, the documentary’s teenage narrator, was revealed to be the son of a Hamas official
A Palestinian boy called Zakaria poses alongside a Hamas fighter in the BBC documentary
Meanwhile, BBC staff did not cut away from chants of “death, death to the IDF” during Bob Vylan’s set, and were criticised for allowing the broadcast to go ahead despite knowing it was “high risk”.
In a company-wide memo about the new discrimination training, staff have now been told that “anti-Semitism has no place at the BBC” and that the module “provides a framework of understanding for staff to spot and call out anti-Semitism”.
Staff have been told that the module involves “real world examples” of how anti-Semitism can appear in society, with a warning that this “understandably may be upsetting for some colleagues”.
Another module on Islamophobia will be made available to staff from February, they were told.
Mr Davie said: “The BBC is for everyone, and we are clear that everyone working here should feel they belong…the BBC Academy has spent the last few months developing new anti-discrimination training.”
The memo revealed that BBC’s Arabic news service chose to “minimise Israeli suffering” in the war in Gaza so it could “paint Israel as the aggressor”.
It also found that BBC Arabic had given a platform to journalists who had made extreme anti-Semitic comments, including one contributor who was featured 217 times despite describing a Palestinian who killed four Israeli citizens as a “hero” in 2022.

More from United Kingdom

The announcement of the training was welcomed by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, whose president Phil Rosenberg said there was an “urgent need for change in both culture and content at the corporation”.
The BBC Academy course on anti-Semitism was made in conjunction with the Jewish Staff Network, the Anti-Semitism Policy Trust and the Community Security Trust (CST).
The Telegraph’s publication of the memo also led to the resignation of the broadcaster’s head of news, Deborah Turness.
Last year, Sir Michael Ellis, the former attorney general, told MPs that the BBC was “institutionally anti-Semitic”, and that its reporting of the Israel-Hamas war had contributed to attacks on British Jews.
In February, Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservatives, wrote to Mr Davie to complain about BBC Arabic’s coverage, describing it as a “platform for terrorists” that was promoting “appalling anti-Semitism” to millions of viewers.
In his email, sent to staff on Thursday, Mr Davie added: “I know that everyone will be committed to the training, ensuring the BBC is a role model as an inclusive and tolerant workplace.”
kenzie Lauren and Rockey Ramson

Kenzie Utopia is a seasoned market news writer and financial analyst with a sharp eye on global markets, shares, banking trends, and the evolving finance industry. Known for her insightful reporting and data-driven stories, Kenzie brings clarity to complex financial topics, making them accessible to everyday readers and professionals alike. With a passion for uncovering the hidden forces that shape economic movement, she regularly covers breaking news, market fluctuations, banking sector shifts, and strategic financial analysis. Her work helps readers navigate the fast-changing world of finance with confidence and depth.

View Comments

Leave a Comment
Share
Published by
kenzie Lauren and Rockey Ramson
Tags: AntisemitismBritish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)IsraelJewishMediaPoliticsThe Israel Hamas WarUnited Kingdom
3 months ago

Recent Posts

Hyatt’s Thomas Pritzker Retires After Being Named in Newly Released Epstein Documents

Thomas Pritzker has announced his retirement as executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels after newly released…

1 day ago

U.S. Companies Resume Price Hikes as Tariffs and Labor Costs Climb

Electronics, appliances and consumer goods are seeing sharper increases as cost pressures mount.

1 day ago

Three Dead, Including Suspect, in Shooting at Rhode Island Youth Hockey Game

Authorities confirm three fatalities and multiple critical injuries following gunfire at a youth sporting event.

1 day ago

US Grants Two Licences Allowing Oil Majors to Restart Operations in Venezuela

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued two general licences covering oil and…

2 days ago

Pentagon Flags Alibaba and BYD Over Alleged Chinese Military Links

The move adds tension ahead of expected high-level talks between President Donald Trump and President…

3 days ago

Skeptical Researcher Tests Microwave Device on Himself, Develops Havana Syndrome–Like Symptoms

Working in strict secrecy, a government scientist in Norway built a machine capable of emitting…

4 days ago

This website uses cookies.