Lest We Forget, BBC: Je Suis Charlie, Je Suis Juif, Je Suis La Republique: A Free Press, PR, and Pluralistic Democracy Should Be Fully Inclusive

The text under the September 2 podcast of BBC Newshour reads “Survivors of the Islamist attacks on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket five years ago are in court in Paris to see fourteen alleged accomplices go on trial. A lawyer, Patrick Klugman, said the victims firmly believed the trial was of the utmost importance. Seventeen people were killed by three gunmen, who were shot dead by police.”

          The text mentions the attack on the supermarket (HyperCacher, which is not named as such), where four Jews were killed and many were held hostage, yet in James Menendez’ report, it is mentioned between about :14 and :24 and at approximately 5:15 to 5:55 (a total of less than 50 seconds of the total 9:50 segment; the latter excerpt concerns the alleged connection between the two gunmen responsible for the Charlie Hebdo killings and the gunman at HyperCacher). There is a replay of the actual Charlie Hebdo attack; regarding HyperCacher, there is no replay of the attack or and no naming of any of its victims.

One can understand the universal gravitas of the “freedom of the press” issue, but something is missing when such coverage omits mention of another “freedom”—the freedom to observe one’s religious precepts, including dietary ones, and to purchase such food freely, without fear of assault. More broadly, safety and freedom of movement, for all religions, is inherent in pluralistic democracy.

           Until now, this discussion has focused on the audio of the above BBC broadcast. Let us also consider the visuals. The graphic for the September 2 podcast depicts those slain at Charlie Hebdo, yet it is a trial of 14 alleged accessories to both the Hebdo and HyperCasher attacks. Getty photos of the January 2015 rally that drew over one million people and world leaders to the center of Paris show many in the crowd holding placards that read, “Je Suis Charlie, Je Suis Juif, Je Suis La Republique (Some included Je Suis Flic [police---a policewoman was killed by one of the gunmen] and other constituencies). Yet even the BBC Web site photos of the January 11, 2015 rally depict citizens holding Je Suis Charlie placards but not Je Suis Juif. 

Civil society is predicated on the inclusion of diverse publics and stakeholders, all of whom are valued and represented in La Republique. Dear BBC, if you respect diversity and inclusion, then your coverage should consistently reflect that and there should be nothing that smacks of bias by omission. The truth—the full truth that is known at any given time-- is fundamental to a free press, excellent public relations, and a viable democracy.

           Please, BBC, tell it like it was, and is, lest we forget.

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