BBC reveals large amount of complaints it received following Panorama’s anti-Corbyn hit job

A BBC document has revealed that the broadcaster received over 1,500 complaints concerning its Is Labour Anti-Semitic? episode of Panorama.
Panorama complaints
The BBC aired the episode on 10 July. The show met with frustration and anger, in light of alleged journalistic bias against Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party. But the media outlet refused to tell journalist Asa Winstanley how many people complained about the show, reportedly citing “journalistic exception to [Freedom of Information] FOI law”.
The BBC complaints service, however, publishes a fortnightly report.
For the dates 8-21 July, the report shows that the BBC received a total of 1,593 complaints concerning its Panorama episode. The main issue was defined as “bias against the Labour Party”. The only other show to receive over 100 complaints was The Andrew Neil Interviews.
The number of Panorama complaints could be even higher, however, considering that the report only includes complaints received during the first 11 days after the show was first aired.
As well as complaining directly to the BBC, various journalists and Labour Party members have complained about the show publicly. The Media Reform Coalition, for example, condemned the episode as “a catalogue of reporting failures”. And The Canary published an investigation showing that certain Labour Party members contested key testimonies documented in the show.
Featured image via screengrab/BBCPanorama
We need your help ...
The coronavirus pandemic is changing our world, fast. And we will do all we can to keep bringing you news and analysis throughout. But we are worried about maintaining enough income to pay our staff and minimal overheads.
Now, more than ever, we need a vibrant, independent media that holds the government to account and calls it out when it puts vested economic interests above human lives. We need a media that shows solidarity with the people most affected by the crisis – and one that can help to build a world based on collaboration and compassion.
We have been fighting against an establishment that is trying to shut us down. And like most independent media, we don’t have the deep pockets of investors to call on to bail us out.
Can you help by chipping in a few pounds each month?
-
Show Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Join the conversationPlease read our comment moderation policy here.
The British Broadcasting for Conservatives is biased to it’s core, all the top jobs are held by Tories. Do we really need this propaganda media?
Israel’s influence in UK politics has been documented for several years Look at this
https://www.redressonline.com/2017/01/watch-israels-penetration-of-the-uks-political-system-exposed/
There was no mention of this evidence in the panorama program nor were there any anti Zionist Jews interviewed.
I never look at the BBC website anymore, ever. It used to be in the top 3 of my reads, no more.
Criticism of the Israeli State = Antisemitism … Welcome to the new order 😢
Don’t bother complaining they always claim they are squeaky clean. I never use their propaganda site they call news and have stopped watching question time and all their so called non biased political shows.