One of the BBC’s most senior journalists broke the broadcaster’s impartiality rules by referring to the “genocide” in Gaza as fact while hosting her podcast, the corporation has admitted.
US Special Correspondent Katty Kay, 61, made the comment during an episode of The Rest is Politics: US podcast, which is produced by Gary Lineker’s company Goalhanger.
Former England star Lineker stepped away from his own role at the BBC “by mutual agreement” last year following a furore over a post he shared about Zionism which featured an image of a rat.
Last year Goalhanger, which Lineker, 65, co-owns with Tony Pastor, a former ITV controller of sport, and Jack Davenport, previously a senior BBC journalist, made £37.9m in sales thanks to a stable of popular podcasts.
Kay is described as one of the BBC’s most experienced journalists in North America, having anchored coverage of the 2016 and 2020 US presidential elections.
She also co-presents The Rest is Politics: US with Anthony Scaramucci, the former White House communications director.
In an episode recorded last month, she said: “I know there is so much anger in the Democratic Party, understandably, and about what has happened in Gaza and Israel, and the government of Netanyahu’s response to that, and the genocide that is being committed there.”
A listener complained that the comment breached the BBC’s rules, which state that opinion should be distinguished from fact, and the broadcaster accepted that Kay’s comment “did not meet our editorial standards”, which its staff are expected to uphold even when they are appearing on non-BBC programmes.
The BBC said Kay “meant to attribute the characterisation of events” in Gaza to “certain Democrats” who believed Israel had committed genocide, “but failed to do so clearly”, adding that she had expressed regret and would use it as “a learning opportunity”.
The Telegraph reported that in a response to the complaint, the BBC said: “The wording she used made it sound like she was endorsing the description as her own, and she did not provide appropriate context.
“Ms Kay is employed by BBC Studios and occasionally contributes to BBC News platforms.
“She is expected to uphold BBC editorial values in her public appearances, including when she collaborates with other media organisations, as was the case in this episode.
“She regrets having failed to do so with enough clarity in this instance and will use this as a learning opportunity.”
When contacted by the JC a spokesperson stressed that the podcast was not a BBC broadcast but declined to make any further comment.
It is understood that the listener who complained is satisfied with the BBC response, in which case Kay will face no further action.
The incident comes after Matt Brittin, the BBC’s new director-general, promised to tackle the corporation’s long-standing problems over impartiality, which led to the resignations of his predecessor, Tim Davie, and head of news, Deborah Turness.
An investigation by The Telegraph last year revealed that an internal BBC memo had warned of “systemic issues” with its coverage of the war in Gaza and “a desire always to believe the worst about Israel”.
Goalhanger and Kay have been approached for comment.
To get more news, click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.