The BBC Trust today dismissed complaints regarding a BBC news website talkboard headline that asked “Should homosexuals face execution?”
The headline was posted last December on a world talk discussion for African listeners, following an anti homosexuality bill being discussed in Ugandan parliament.
The headline was intended to prompt debate ahead of the latest edition of interactive World Service programme, Africa have your say.
The BBC Trust believes the situation was exacerbated by websites, such as Twitter, publishing the headline out of context and simply posting “Should homosexuals be executed?”
The day after the original posting, BBC global news director, Peter Horrocks, did apologise for the headline and saying it was: “in hindsight, too stark”.
The ESC, which is made up of BBC trustees, said although the headline was too stark and that without clear signposting, offence could have easily been caused, Mr Horrocks had apologised promptly. The ESC stated:
“The committee noted that, given the global availability of the BBC website, online content producers would now have to be more aware that all material they produce is universally available via the internet. Hence, headlines that might cause offence to certain audiences needed greater contextualisation than previously.”
How do you feel about this headline? Do you think it was too offensive or do you think it was a necessary question to pose to African viewers, considering the parliamentary discussions?
