BBC says omission of trans identity of murderer Scarlet Blake was breach of accuracy rules

[IwantToRetire]

The BBC's style guide says journalists should "generally" use a person's preferred terms and pronouns.

The BBC has determined it was a breach of its accuracy rules not to tell audiences that murderer Scarlet Blake was a trans woman in its initial reporting of her conviction and sentencing.

The broadcaster faced some criticism in February for describing her as a woman and using she/her pronouns. However Blake transitioned her gender identity in childhood.

The BBC received complaints regarding an article on the Oxford page of the BBC News website on 23 February about Blake being found guilty of murder and the BBC News programme at 1pm on 26 February, the day she was sentenced.

Most subsequent reports did refer to Blake’s gender identity.

The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit “considered that the omission of such information in the two instances specified by complainants, in a context where it had become material to an understanding of the case, amounted to a breach of the BBC’s standards of accuracy”.

Article continues at https://pressgazette.co.uk/the-wire/newspaper-corrections-media-mistakes-errors-legal/bbc-trans-pronouns-scarlet-blake/

This is such an important decision. Of late, the BBC has become a national disgrace rather than a national broadcaster. At last this has been acknowledged, I suspect at least in part, due to the prolific complaint writers on this board.

The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit “considered that the omission of such information in the two instances specified by complainants, in a context where it had become material to an understanding of the case, amounted to a breach of the BBC’s standards of accuracy”.

Let me get this straight, omission of a fact in a context where it is relevant is a breach of the BBC's standards, but inclusion of the same fact (that trans women are male) by Justin Webb on another BBC report breaks BBC impartiality rules? Well that's all fine and dandy then!

You'd think it would have been bloody obvious. But nope, takes them weeks to get there.

They are totally captured aren’t they. From The CBBC programme telling children puberty blockers are perfectly safe to deliberately lying on their news output.

They are a disgrace and something needs to change.

Most subsequent reports did refer to Blake’s gender identity.

Even when they did refer to it, it was still confusing.

People could see with their eyes and hear from the video that he was a man, but the BBC flounced around the issue so much that was not at all clear if he was a woman who transitioned into a man or a man who transitioned into a woman.

Interesting that they've made a point of saying that Blake transitioned in childhood - that hasn't changed the male pattern behaviour in this case has it.

LizzieSiddal · Today 08:07

The CBBC programme telling children puberty blockers are perfectly safe to deliberately lying on their news output.

What?! Have you got a link to that?

I can't remember all of the CBBC programmes but I'd say there were at least three programmes that are about transitioning on CBBC. Presumably they all say it's safe!

Wonder whether this will mean that in future the BBC will start accurately reporting on all these crimes committed by men?

The one about Leo won and award and everything, didn't it?

Excellent, precedent-setting result. And thank you to everyone who complained. It’s this kind of area where I see the tide turning.

I don’t have a link to the actual show as the BBC took it down last year but here’s the details. https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2014/46/my-life

We can only hope though I won’t hold my breathe. Remember according to Tim Davey the BBC has to “be kind”.

LizzieSiddal · Today 08:49

Thanks, Lizzie.

The BBC's style guide says journalists should "generally" use a person's preferred terms and pronouns.

This is the heart of the problem, and it isn't just the BBC, thanks to the NUJ most news reporters now work to that concept.