The New York Times reported on 27th January that BBC refused to air an appeal for aid to help the people in Gaza. Their reason, as stated by Mark Thompson, Director General of BBC, is that they want to do their reporting in a “balanced, objective way” and they don’t want to take sides in the Arab-Israel conflict.

This has prised open a lot of questions in mind. It is true that journalists and reporters have to be objective and impartial and must be fact-driven rather than feeling-driven. But when the question is about as big a human tragedy as the Gaza issue is turning out to be, it is time we extend a velvet glove rather than the iron ones. Leading aid agencies like the Red Cross, Help the Aged, Save the Children etc. are trying to reach out medical supplies and other basic necessities to help out as much as they can. It’s really time that we showed that we care.

I also see some ethical questions being raised here. Journalistic ethics are fine, but what about the human ones? Must we be so firm in our ideals that we ignore a suffering fellow-human just because some accusatory fingers will be raised? I don’t think I accept this and I really want you to voice your opinion on this. Do it here or post on the wall on the Facebook group or the Fan Page.