BBC Watch: BBC’s Doucet explains why Yemen gets less coverage than Gaza

With the casualty toll in Yemen having surpassed that in the Gaza Strip last year, it is worth noting the difference in how news was presented in the latest report on Yemen compared to the reporting on Gaza last summer. Markedly absent from the factual, non-emotive account on Yemen are BBC journalists’ amateur opinions on ‘international law’ and the accusations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, collective punishment and deliberate targeting of civilians which characterized the BBC’s reporting from the Gaza Strip last summer.

BBC Correspondent Lyse Doucet also explains why Gaza gets so much more coverage than Yemen, even though the civilian casualties in Yemen exceed those in Gaza. Doucet tweets, ” Yemen does deserve more coverage. Different issues of access, safety, etc. Yr. point noted. Tried to get there & will try again.” (Click on link for BBC Watch to see the BBC report and original tweets between CAMERA and BBC correspondent Doucet.)

BBC audiences would no doubt be very interested to hear more details about the easier access and safer reporting conditions in the Gaza Strip.

But of course it is not just the volume of reporting which distinguishes the BBC’s coverage of last summer’s conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip from its reporting on the ongoing conflict in Yemen: the difference in tone of reporting is remarkable too. See the following article at BBC Watch for a discussion on comparing BBC coverage of civilian casualties in Yemen and Gaza.