Newsbeat continues the BBC’s Eurovision framing

Once again it is clear that the BBC is a lot less interested in the Eurovision itself than it is in promoting specific political messaging about the host country.

As was noted here recently:

“…those following Eurovision Song Contest news on the BBC News website over the past three months could hardly have avoided those repeated promotions of the demand for boycott of the event by BDS campaign supporting ‘stars’.

However, when on April 30th a letter denouncing that proposed boycott was published by more than 100 people from the entertainment industry, no coverage was to be found on the BBC News website’s ‘Entertainment and Arts’ page or under the ‘Eurovision Song Contest’ tag.”

On May 12th an article by Steve Holden and Daniel Rosney of ‘Newsbeat’ appeared in the ‘Features’ section of the BBC News website’s ‘Middle East’ page and on the website’s ‘Newsbeat’ and ‘Entertainment & Arts’ pages under the title “Eurovision Tel Aviv 2019: Why the song contest is bigger than ever”.

Linking to the same article produced by BBC Music reporter Mark Savage on January 30th that has already been recycled on the BBC News website at least four times, Holden and Rosney told readers that:

“Eurovision rules say acts need to be strictly non-political during their performances, but Tel Aviv is proving a controversial host because of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Some stars have called for the contest to be moved from Israel, while others want countries and contestants to pull out completely.

Hatari, who say they entered the competition because they want to shed light on political aspects of Israel, admit their stance “is a contradictory one”.

“A contest like Eurovision was founded in the spirit of peace and unity,” singer Matthias Haraldsson tells Newsbeat.

“We find it absurd to host it in a country marred by conflict and disunity. Allowing that narrative to go on unchallenged would be a shame.”

The band insist they’ll stick to the strict Eurovision rules by not making any political statement during their performance.”

Yet again audiences found the BBC framing this story using trite clichés, context-free quotes and amplification of the call to boycott Israel without any explanation of the political background to that campaign. And yet again opinions dissenting from that BBC framing were not given equal weight.

The following day, May 13th, the BBC News website’s ‘Newsbeat’ page posted a video of Holden interviewing the Icelandic Eurovision contestants titled “Hatari: The Icelandic band bringing BDSM to Eurovision” which included more simplistic political messaging.

“Speaking to Newsbeat before leaving for Tel Aviv, Hatari said the competition was founded in the spirit of “peace and unity”, and that they’re “conflicted” about performing in Israel due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

The majority of that video (1:10 minutes out of 1:57) was given over to politicisation of the subject matter.

00:27 Holden: “How do you guys feel about participating in Israel because obviously you’ve got your own thoughts on it?”

Band member: “We feel conflicted of course. Our stance is a contradictory one. But obviously we feel that a contest like Eurovision which is founded in the spirit of peace and unity, we find it absurd to host it in a country that’s marred by conflict and disunity.”

BBC: “Eurovision bosses insist that the contest should never be political.”

Holden: “In terms of the performance lots has been said about whether you will or will not protest on stage.”

Band member: “We can’t be political on stage so we will do our performance as planned, as it has been rehearsed. But we will try to use this agenda-setting influence that comes – that comes with anything that catches the public eye really – to put the discussion where it belongs and we want to support all kinds of groups that fight for the Palestinian human rights.”

Holden: “Do you see the Eurovision as a joke?”

Band member: “No. We see it as a dead-serious medium to reach the masses and a political arena.”

Once again it is clear that the BBC is a lot less interested in the music and the contest itself than it is in promoting specific political messaging about the host country.

Related Articles:

BBC News Eurovision BDS report follows the usual template

BBC Radio Ulster audiences hear that ‘Israel should be wiped off the map’

BBC News website ignores counter call to boycott it repeatedly promoted

 

More from Hadar Sela
Confusing BBC audiences with unqualified agenda-based opinion
“The BBC will use the opportunity presented by its long-form documentary and...
Read More
Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *