BBC staff raise concerns with Plaid MS over National Eisteddfod 'censorship'

Martin Shipton

BBC Wales workers contacted a Plaid Cymru MS to voice concern that they had been warned expressions of support for Palestine would not be permitted during the coverage of the National Eisteddfod.

They told Mabon ap Gwynfor that they had been informed it would be inappropriate for them to take part in the singing of a song named The Sadness of Palestine.

The song is due to be sung during a section of the Eisteddfod known as Parti Cerdd Dant, a uniquely Welsh style of singing where the tune sung is different from that played by the accompanying instrument.

Mr ap Gwynfor was told that a party of BBC staff had planned to compete in the event, but had to pull out because the subject matter wasn’t deemed appropriate. The Eisteddfod is due to open in Wrexham on August 2.

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Pro-Palestine

The MS was also told that a clear instruction had been given by a manager in London that nothing considered pro-Palestine was to be broadcast, including badges, T-shirts and scarves, and that there was to be no talk of “genocide”. If any guest or performer should do so, the interview or performance was to be cut off.

Mr ap Gwynfor passed on the workers’ concerns to Nation.Cymru and we sought a statement from BBC Wales.

A spokesperson for BBC Wales said: “As the broadcast partner, the BBC will bring audiences extensive coverage of the Eisteddfod from Wrexham on BBC Radio Cymru, Radio Wales, BBC One Wales and online as well as over 80 hours on S4C, reflecting the festival in its entirety. While our plans will ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines there are no plans to ban any element of the festival and to suggest otherwise would be untrue.”

On the issue of the Parti Cerdd Dant, the spokesperson said: “Our editorial guidelines state that ‘our audiences should not be able to tell from BBC output the personal opinions of our journalists or news and current affairs presenters on matters of public policy, political or industrial controversy, or on ‘controversial subjects’ in any other area.’ Our colleagues in the news team are aware of their responsibilities in light of our editorial guidelines.”

In terms of the coverage of the National Eisteddfod, the spokesperson said: “We will be broadcasting the competitions, including the Parti Cerdd Dant. “There is no ban on content broadcast from the Eisteddfod and to suggest otherwise is untrue.”

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'Shocking'

Mr ap Gwynfor said: “Many of us have had concerns about how the genocide in Gaza is being portrayed publicly. Quite a lot of what has gone on involving the IDF has been very shocking.

“Some people who work for the BBC got in touch with me because they were worried about the possibility of views being censored.

“I’ve had assurances from the BBC that they will not stop people wearing badges and so on that express support for Palestine or that they will seek to stop people expressing their views during the coverage of the National Eisteddfod, so long as they express themselves in an acceptable manner.”

Nation.Cymru asked the BBC whether it would be permissible during the coverage of the Eisteddfod to refer to what is happening in Gaza as a genocide or whether Israel could be referred to as an apartheid state.

Editorial guidelines

We were sent the broadcaster’s editorial guidelines, which did not address our questions specifically, but stated in a section titled Harm and Offence: “The BBC aims to reflect the world as it is, including all aspects of the human experience and the realities of the natural world. The BBC must balance its right to freedom of expression, which allows it to publish innovative and challenging content, with the responsibility of avoiding unjustifiable offence.

“Creative risk-taking is a vital part of the BBC's mission. However, in all output, the greater the risk of causing harm or offence, the greater the thought, care and planning required.

“The BBC has a right to freedom of expression under human rights legislation, which is reflected in the Charter. Freedom of expression includes the audience's right to access creative material, information, ideas, and content that may be contentious or offensive without interference but subject to restrictions prescribed by law and necessary in a democratic society.”