The Guardian is reporting that despite widespread disgust among their journalists both the BBC and Sky News are adamant in their refusal to show thi
January 26, 2009

The Guardian is reporting that despite widespread disgust among their journalists both the BBC and Sky News are adamant in their refusal to show this video tonight.

Sky News and the BBC have stood firm on their refusal to broadcast an emergency appeal for Gaza tonight on the grounds that it would jeopardise their neutrality as the corporation faced a growing revolt against the decision among its own journalists.

The BBC insisted it would not show the appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an umbrella group of humanitarian charities including Oxfam, Save the Children and the Red Cross, in spite of renewed pressure from the public, ministers and MPs.

Pressure is also growing among BBC journalists, with sources reporting "widespread disgust" within its newsrooms. Sources have said there was "fury" at the BBC News morning meeting today, with news editors saying they had not been consulted about the decision not to show the appeal, which will be broadcast tonight on ITV, Channel 4 and Channel Five at about 6.20pm.

BBC journalists will tomorrow vote on a resolution put forward by the National Union of Journalists condemning the move, which has prompted more than 15,500 complaints to the corporation. The NUJ and broadcasting union Bectu have already written to the BBC describing the corporation's decision as "cowardly" and urging it to change its mind.

The BBC director general, Mark Thompson, ruled out a change of policy, saying it had a duty to cover the issue in a "balanced, objective way".

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