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EXCLUSIVE: The Royal Television Society (RTS) has sparked anger after a late decision to scrap a special recognition award for journalists in Gaza at last night’s TV Journalism Awards.
In an email to jury chairs seen by Deadline, the RTS said it did not wish to “add fuel to the fire” around Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, the BBC documentary that was pulled after it was revealed that the child narrator was the son of a Hamas minister.
Adrian Wells, chair of the RTS Television Journalism Awards, said: “We had planned to award it to ‘Journalists in Gaza’ to recognise their enormous efforts over the last 18 months or so of extreme pressure and endeavour. However, this award, in the end will not be given on Wednesday.”
He added: “Already this has become a political football and the RTS is keen not to add fuel to the fire in this current environment. It is a shame that this cannot proceed but rest assured there is a very strong showing and recognition of journalism from Gaza throughout the rest of the evening.”
Wells explicitly referenced attacks against the BBC’s film from right-wing newspapers, as well as criticism of Channel 4 News for also featuring in its coverage 14-year-old Abdullah Al-Yazouri, the son of Ayman Al-Yazouri, the deputy minister of agriculture in Gaza’s Hamas-run government.
In a statement, an RTS spokesperson said: “Investigations have recently been launched into a number of news reports from Gaza and, as those reviews are ongoing, we didn’t feel it was appropriate to proceed with the award this year.”
One senior news executive described the decision as “spineless.” Ben de Pear, the former editor of Channel 4 News and founder of Basement Films, took issue with the U-turn on X/Twitter.
“The decision was taken because of failures/omissions in the telling of a story in the UK; not because of Gazans’ failures. They were punished and excluded in a last minute and unaccountable process without referral or participation of the RTS Journalism members/juries or chairs,” De Pear wrote.
“Presenters & winners repeatedly cited the battle for truth we are in across world, the importance of television journalism & the bravery of those targeted for it & then the very organisation which presides over the recognition of all of this cancels the very award recognising it.”
ITV News was the big winner on the night, claiming eight awards including Camera Person of the Year, Emerging Young Talent of the Year, and News Coverage – International for its investigation of the war in the Middle East.
Elsewhere, Al-Yazouri has given an interview to the Middle East Eye about the BBC’s decision to drop Hoyo Films documentary Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone. “I did not agree to the risk of me being targeted in any shape before the documentary was broadcast — so if anything happens, the BBC is responsible for it,” he said.
