Independent Media | Campaigning Journalism
BBC finally apologises over use of racist term in news report
BBC director-general Tony Hall has apologised for a news report which contained a racist term.
More than 18,000 people complained to the BBC over the broadcast, which saw social affairs correspondent Fiona Lamdin repeat a racial slur allegedly used in a suspected racially-motivated attack in Bristol.
After the broadcaster initially defended the report, Hall said in a statement that the BBC “now accepts that we should have taken a different approach at the time of broadcast and we are very sorry for that”.
He said the report had caused “distress” to many, adding: “Every organisation should be able to acknowledge when it has made a mistake. We made one here.
“It is important for us to listen – and also to learn. And that is what we will continue to do.”
The BBC would be changing its guidance on offensive language in its output, he added.
The story ran on the BBC News Channel and local news programme Points West on July 29, but the broadcaster stopped running the report which featured the offensive language later that day.
“It should be clear that the BBC’s intention was to highlight an alleged racist attack,” the outgoing director-general said.
“This is important journalism which the BBC should be reporting on and we will continue to do so.
“Yet despite these good intentions, I recognise that we have ended up creating distress amongst many people.”
The statement was issued after Hall held a meeting with BBC colleagues on the issue.
View this post on Instagram
On 8 August, BBC Radio 1xtra presenter Sideman announced that he was quitting the corporation over the broadcast.
Announcing the move on social media, he said the news report represented an “error of judgement”, adding it “feels like a slap in the face to our community”.
After Sideman, real name David Whitely, announced his decision, a BBC spokesman said on 8 August that while they were “aware that [the report] would cause offence” it was important to explain the alleged context of the incident.
The broadcaster has also previously revealed that the decision was taken by a team of people which included senior editorial figures.
On 6 August, the BBC said it had received 18,656 complaints over the incident.
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?
Support us -
Show Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Join the conversationPlease read our comment moderation policy here.
Good. Now can we expect an apology from the countless musicians who feel it appropriate to use the term in their ‘music’? Or is context suddenly important when it comes to them?