London solicitor Steven Sugar, despite a legal setback, has vowed to continue his five-year-long campaign to force the BBC to release the Balen Report on its Middle East coverage.
In the High Court last week, Mr Justice Irwin ruled that the BBC was exempt from having to disclose the report under the Freedom of Information Act.
But Mr Sugar said: “Obviously I’m disappointed but we are contemplating an appeal to the Court of Appeal and it is likely that we will do so.”
He added that he was determined to fight for the principle of public accessibility to BBC material.
The Balen Report, produced by the BBC’s senior editor Malcolm Balen in 2004, eventually led to the creation of the post of Middle East editor for the BBC, filled by Jeremy Bowen.