Jonathan Dimbleby Brand Royal Television Association “Cofu” won the Gaza Award
Jonathan Dimbleby calls Royal Television Society executives Coputives an award for reporting journalists in Gaza because they don't want to deepen the controversy over the BBC's documentary about the conflict.
The historian and host, one of 300 television and film professionals, signed a letter to society, criticizing its last-minute decision not to present the awards at last week’s awards ceremony, which is the consequence of Gaza: how to survive in the war zone.
The documentary was withdrawn from the BBC's online streaming service in February, the subject of an internal investigation, claiming that the film's 13-year-old narrator, Abdullah Al-Yazouri, is the son of Hamas' deputy minister of agriculture.
Abdullah al -Yazouri finds his role in a documentary living in Gaza during Israeli occupation has caused controversy – Amjad Al Fayoumi/BBC
It also appears that the daughter of Hamas officials who seemed to celebrate the October 7 attack was paid during the production process.
“This decision is a desire, and its reasoning – there is a problem around a BBC movie, which is a wonderful and shallow fact. No journalists working in Gaza are involved in making the film.”
He added: “We are very dependent on reports from those journalists in Gaza, who live on their lives every day because there are no Western journalists who can enter except for special travel.
“RT is being properly focused and it should suddenly give up its role because it doesn't want to mess with the water is timid and judged.”
“Fuel fire”
In an email from the jury chairperson cited first on the news website’s deadline, RTS said it did not want to “fuel the fire in the current environment.”
Adrian Wells, president of the RTS TV News Award, said last week: “We plan to award it to the 'journers' in Gaza to recognize their tremendous efforts in the last 18 months or so. However, the award will not end up being awarded on Wednesday.
“It has become a political football and RTS is eager to add fuel to fires in the current environment.
“It’s a pity that this can’t be done, but rest assured that there was a very strong performance and recognition for the rest of the night.”
“Investigation has been launched recently to many news reports in Gaza and as these comments continue, we think it is inappropriate to receive the award this year,” an RTS spokesman said.
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