The review said the BBC should provide more context when presenting numbers, for example the number of boat arrivals, and to explain whether or not the UK is unusual in the number of migrant arrivals or the Government’s attitude towards them.
“A single daily number for boat arrivals is usually meaningless,” it said. “It’s not just that audiences learn nothing from a single day’s statistics – or even a week’s statistics, for that matter. The figures can actively mislead. This creates an impartiality risk.”
Dr Sumption said the BBC’s coverage often failed to distinguish between migrants and asylum seekers, and sometimes gave the false impression that most migration to the UK takes place via small boats.
On that topic, many participants said they wanted to know more about how people in small boats get the money to pay smugglers, but one BBC journalist said they would be “reluctant” to ask that in case it appeared “hostile” towards asylum seekers.
Audiences, regardless of their views on migration, also wanted more context on why people move to the UK – their back stories, reasons for leaving their home countries, and reasons for choosing the UK over other destinations. The report said:“They wanted to hear directly from migrants themselves.”
The research found that people wanted more in-depth coverage of migration, rather than stories only being covered because politicians were talking about them. BBC coverage should add more nuance and “represent the full range of opinion, not just the strongest views”, it said.
In response, the BBC Board said it would take the review findings board to “further improve editorial standards and audience impact”.
A spokesman said: “We note that the review found that the BBC produces a lot of excellent content on migration and has highlighted important best practice. Significantly, the review found no consistent bias towards one point of view on this topic. However, it did identify risks to impartiality that point in multiple directions.
“We welcome the practical illustration of the challenges BBC teams face in serving a wide range of licence payer interests and ensuring that we cover this subject with precision and depth and draw on the full spectrum of experience and views.
“We believe that the analysis will particularly help the BBC in broader and more creative story selection and appropriate framing of migration stories. It also highlights the valuable role that the BBC can play in increasing understanding of these issues and how they affect all audiences.”
The Board has asked Tim Davie, the director-general, to address the issues raised.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
