BBC boss orders staff to undergo discrimination training with CST and Antisemitism Policy Trust

"Mandatory antisemitism training is a welcome step and it is positive that this has been developed in partnership with the Jewish staff network, CST and Antisemitism Policy Trust.

“This announcement must be the beginning of sustained concrete action to restore trust and ensure that failures to address antisemitism and uphold impartiality are not repeated. The Jewish community and the British public deserve nothing less."

Davie and BBC chief executive Deborah Turness, 58, stepped down from their positions last month following a string of embarrassing mistakes which left the organisation facing widespread accusations of bias.

In July more than 200 Jewish staff, contractors, suppliers and contributors wrote to BBC chairman Samir Shah asking for an urgent formal investigation by the BBC Board into “systemic problems of antisemitism and bias at the BBC, alongside senior management's demonstrable failure to properly address the issue”.

Matters reached a head last month when a memo from Michael Prescott, a former independent adviser to the BBC's Editorial Guidelines and Standards Board, was leaked.

The memo, sent in the summer, highlighted clips spliced together from sections of a speech made by the US president Donald Trump on 6 January 2021, which featured in the Panorama programme Trump: A Second Chance?

It made it appear that Trump had told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to "fight like hell", although the quotes were delivered in separate parts of the speech.

In the summer Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis strongly criticised "the airing of vile Jew-hate at Glastonbury" after a live broadcast of Bob Vylan's performance at the festival was aired on the BBC.

During the performance the punk band's singer led the crowd in chants of "death, death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces]".

The Chief Rabbi wrote on X: "This is a time of national shame. The airing of vile Jew-hatred at Glastonbury and the BBC's belated and mishandled response, brings confidence in our national broadcaster's ability to treat antisemitism seriously to a new low.

"It should trouble all decent people that now, one need only couch their outright incitement to violence and hatred as edgy political commentary, for ordinary people to not only fail to see it for what it is, but also to cheer it, chant it and celebrate it. Toxic Jew-hatred is a threat to our entire society."

In February the BBC apologised and admitted "serious flaws" in the making of a documentary about children's lives in Gaza.

The documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, was pulled from iPlayer after it emerged its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official.

In his letter to staff Mr Davie said: “The BBC is for everyone, and we are clear that everyone working here should feel they belong.  As an organisation we stand united against any form of discrimination, prejudice or intolerance.”

His signed off his letter simply “Tim”.

A description of the antisemitism module available to staff via a link said: “This training provides a framework of understanding for staff to spot and call out antisemitism. It is compulsory training for all staff.

“The BBC Academy has worked closely with the Jewish Staff Network, the Antisemitism Policy Trust and the Community Security Trust to produce this training.

“The module includes real world examples of how antisemitism can appear in society, which understandably may be upsetting for some colleagues.

“However, the content of the module has been considered carefully, with examples in order to inform us all, and ensure we understand  the many forms discrimination takes.”

Current staff have been given six months to complete the training, new joiners will have the statutory 28 days.

Board of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg said: “Over the last 18 months, the Board of Deputies’ engagement with the BBC has focused on the urgent need for change in both culture and content at the Corporation.

"We have always said that a key component of the cultural change required is a proper understanding of contemporary antisemitism, provided by credible organisations.

"Our aspiration is that, in time, the training and additional safeguarding and compliance will also be provided to suppliers and contractors as well as staff.”

On BBC Arabic, the Board raised a litany of past problems, which have been widely publicised. The BBC ran through changes to structure, content and oversight that they have made to the Arabic service. They also indicated that it was hoped that the long-promised thematic review of Middle East coverage would be launched early in the New Year.