After weeks - BBC response on Gaza!

[Avid]

Pathetic - weeks later there is some semblance of their bias.

Thank you for your e-mail.

We note your disappointment at our decision not to broadcast an appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee to raise funds for Gaza.

We decided not to broadcast the DEC's public appeal because we wished to avoid any risk of compromising public confidence in the BBC's impartiality in the context of covering a continuing news story where issues of responsibility for civilian suffering and distress are intrinsic to the story and remain highly contentious. We also could not be confident that the aid resulting from audience donations could reach those it was intended for at a time of a fragile ceasefire and sporadic border access. We will of course continue to report the humanitarian story in Gaza.

The BBC's director-general Mark Thompson has therefore explained the decision in more detail in a number of television and radio broadcasts and online at our Editors' blog. Please follow the link to read his explanation in full:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditor...za_appeal.html

The BBC Trust have also considered complaints about the BBC's decision not broadcast the DEC Gaza Crisis Appeal and has decided not to overrule on appeal the BBC Director-General's decision against broadcasting the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Gaza Crisis Appeal. The Trust has, however, asked the Director-General to explore with DEC and other broadcasters the wider lessons to be drawn from this episode, and to take a view on whether the BBC agreement with DEC, dating from 1971, and the associated criteria for considering appeals, are still appropriate for today's changed conditions. The full decision has been published by the BBC Trust on their website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/appeal..._decision.html

BBC Management have subsequently responded to the BBC Trust's decision: We are pleased with the BBC Trust's clear findings that the BBC Director-General's decision on the DEC Gaza appeal was reasonable in order to protect the impartiality of the BBC, given the deeply divisive nature of the conflict, and that he acted correctly throughout.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Regards

BBC Complaints