Complaint
A listener complained about comments made by the BBC’s International Editor, Jeremy Bowen, during an item discussing President Trump’s decision to go to war. The listener argued that describing the consequences as “a massive mess caused by this rash and reckless decision” was an expression of personal opinion rather than an evidence-based professional judgement, and therefore breached the BBC’s standards on due impartiality.
Outcome
The ECU considered whether the remarks were compatible with the Editorial Guidelines, which allow correspondents and editors to make professional judgements rooted in evidence and professional experience. It noted that the comments were made in the context of analysis of the consequences of the military action and that Mr Bowen had referred to objectives set out by President Trump and the subsequent failure to achieve a promised quick victory.
The ECU also considered information provided by BBC News about the evidential basis for the judgement, including information about the decision-making process and other factors relevant to the likely consequences of the action. The ECU concluded that there is no requirement for correspondents to set out all the evidence supporting a professional judgement within the programme itself, provided that the judgement is rooted in evidence. It found that this threshold had been met and therefore did not find a breach of the Editorial Guidelines on impartiality.
Not Upheld
