October 7th: One Year On

Deborah Turness

CEO, BBC News and Current Affairs

Published: 1 October 2024

We are approaching the anniversary of the horrific events of October 7th , and the start of a devastating year-long war that has killed tens of thousands, and plunged millions into suffering. Our hearts go out to those who have been affected by the war or lost loved ones. One year on there is no end in sight, as this conflict spreads and deepens.

There is no doubt that this is the most polarising conflict that any of us have experienced in our careers as journalists. It places unprecedented pressures on us all to weigh and measure the words we use, to check and verify the facts, to ensure we are reporting with accuracy, with impartiality, and with transparency. We strive to live up to that promise and responsibility in everything we do, each and every day.

Our commitment to delivering impartial, unbiased journalism is the cornerstone of BBC News. And it has never been more important. Unbiased reporting means hearing from all sides, allowing different perspectives to be heard, and it means accepting and expecting that your own views might be challenged.

But if there is one thing we have learned more than any other in the past year, it's that such is the depth of the polarisation in this war, so many have come to see impartial reporting as being somehow against them, because it does not solely reflect their view of the conflict.

Much of this is perhaps explained by social media algorithms and echo chambers that serve consumers more of what they already "like". People mostly follow people whose opinions they agree with, and as more news providers put their journalism behind paywalls, consumers increasingly subscribe to media brands that reflect their own world view. They are increasingly living in an information ecosystem that surrounds them with their own views and opinions.

But BBC News does not and cannot reflect any single world view. In this war, we cannot be a place where any side feels that their perspective prevails. Our job is to report fairly and impartially, to report without fear or favour. Our duty to public service journalism means we will always hear from a range of perspectives - including those you may not agree with.

Perhaps that's one of the reasons why our latest research on our reporting of the Israel/Gaza war shows that audiences are significantly more likely to turn to BBC News for impartial coverage of this story than to any other news provider.

But we recognise that doesn't mean we get everything right. So we listen to even our harshest critics and engage with representatives from different sides of the conflict - who agree on only one thing: that BBC News has a systemic bias against them and towards their opponents. Some might argue that if both sides think you're wrong you must be doing something right. But I don't think this is good enough and neither do my colleagues at BBC News.

Over the course of the conflict, we have thoughtfully reviewed our coverage, carefully taking into consideration feedback from all interested parties - and we will continue to do so. Where we have made changes, we have done so with transparency, to explain the context to our audiences and how it impacts our journalism.

And so I would like to use the opportunity at this one-year mark to be fully transparent about the serious and consequential constraints on our ability to report independently on this war.

"The Pursuit of Truth" is the most critical role of the BBC. Independent journalism means being on the ground, being there to witness events, being present to produce a "first draft of history". Being an eyewitness to war requires courage - but it also requires access.

Israel is not allowing international journalists from media organisations, including the BBC, independent access to Gaza. Our correspondents are not able to verify the facts on the ground, to independently record for history the events unfolding, or the scale of the human suffering. The BBC is backing the current Foreign Press Association case before the Supreme Court in Israel to give international journalists access to Gaza, and we are calling urgently to be granted access.

And as the conflict spreads to Lebanon, we are being blocked there too - by Hezbollah - from independently reporting. Our correspondents have been barred from entering some areas hit by Israeli air strikes, and in some cases are being denied access to hospitals to interview injured civilians and verify the numbers of dead.

Lack of access for independent journalism creates an environment where disinformation can thrive. And that's where "BBC Verify" comes in. The BBC Verify team deploys satellite technology and industry-leading tools and techniques to check and verify user generated video, eyewitness reports and social media accounts to build a picture of what's happening on the ground.

But let me be clear - there can be no substitute for on-the-ground, eyewitness reporting. Despite the dangers, our teams want and need to be there. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, over 110 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since the war began. That number is horrific, and I would like to recognise the courage of those who risk their lives to report the facts.

With the anniversary of October 7th now days away, our coverage of this dreadful milestone has already begun. The BBC documentary Surviving October 7th - We Will Dance Again is an unflinching account of the horror that unfolded at the Nova Festival. On October 15th we will air Life and Death in Gaza - a powerful and searingly painful documentary that bears witness to 11 months of war, and the suffering it has brought.

All our programmes and platforms will strive to deliver fair and impartial coverage of this terrible anniversary. Importantly, we will also be dedicating time across all our outlets to ask the question "How Does It End".

In a time of such deep division, our work might be harder, but it is also more important than ever.

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