BBC News

==Opinions==
{{Main|BBC controversies|Criticism of the BBC}}

===Political and commercial independence===
The BBC is required by its charter to be free from both political and commercial influence and answers only to its viewers and listeners. This political objectivity is sometimes questioned. For instance, ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' (3 August 2005) carried a letter from the [[KGB]] defector [[Oleg Gordievsky]], referring to it as "The Red Service". Books have been written on the subject, including anti-BBC works like ''Truth Betrayed'' by W J West and ''The Truth Twisters'' by Richard Deacon. The BBC has been accused of bias by Conservative MPs.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-02-17|title=BBC licence fee: Tory MPs warn No 10 against fight|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-51530752|access-date=2021-06-04|archive-date=4 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604190724/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-51530752|url-status=live}}</ref>

The BBC's Editorial Guidelines on Politics and Public Policy state that whilst "the voices and opinions of opposition parties must be routinely aired and challenged", "the government of the day will often be the primary source of news".<ref name=BBCEditorialGuidelines>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/review_report_research/impartiality_21century/f_editorial_guidelines_extracts.txt "Editorial Guidelines Extracts"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307235004/http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/review_report_research/impartiality_21century/f_editorial_guidelines_extracts.txt |date=7 March 2013 }}, ''[[BBC]]''.</ref>

The BBC is regularly accused by the government of the day of bias in favour of the opposition and, by the opposition, of bias in favour of the government. Similarly, during times of war, the BBC is often accused by the UK government, or by strong supporters of British military campaigns, of being overly sympathetic to the view of the enemy. An edition of ''[[Newsnight]]'' at the start of the [[Falklands War]] in 1982 was described as "almost treasonable" by [[John Page (MP for Harrow West)|John Page]], MP, who objected to [[Peter Snow]] saying "if we believe the British".<ref name="Falklands Newsnight">Denis Taylor, "BBC broadcasts jammed", ''The Times'', 4 May 1982, p. 2.</ref>

During the first [[Gulf War]], critics of the BBC took to using the satirical name "Baghdad Broadcasting Corporation".<ref name="news24"/> During the [[Kosovo War]], the BBC were labelled the "Belgrade Broadcasting Corporation" (suggesting favouritism towards the [[FR Yugoslavia]] government over ethnic [[Albanians|Albanian]] rebels) by British ministers,<ref name="news24">{{cite news|publisher=News 24 |url=http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1390672,00.html |title=BBC versus British government |date=21 July 2003 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309115833/http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0%2C%2C2-10-1462_1390672%2C00.html |archive-date=9 March 2008 }}</ref> although [[Slobodan Milosević]] (then FRY president) claimed that the BBC's coverage had been biased ''against'' his nation.<ref>{{cite news|work=BBC News|date=22 August 2002|title=Milosevic attacks BBC 'bias'|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2220904.stm|access-date=1 January 2010|archive-date=8 July 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040708024137/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2220904.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Conversely, some of those who style themselves anti-establishment in the United Kingdom or who oppose foreign wars have accused the BBC of pro-establishment bias or of refusing to give an outlet to "anti-war" voices. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, a study by the Cardiff University School of Journalism of the reporting of the war found that nine out of 10 references to weapons of mass destruction during the war assumed that Iraq possessed them, and only one in 10 questioned this assumption. It also found that, out of the main British broadcasters covering the war, the BBC was the most likely to use the British government and military as its source. It was also the least likely to use independent sources, like the Red Cross, who were more critical of the war. When it came to reporting Iraqi casualties, the study found fewer reports on the BBC than on the other three main channels. The report's author, [[Justin Lewis (media scholar)|Justin Lewis]], wrote "Far from revealing an anti-war BBC, our findings tend to give credence to those who criticised the BBC for being too sympathetic to the government in its war coverage. Either way, it is clear that the accusation of BBC anti-war bias fails to stand up to any serious or sustained analysis."<ref>{{cite book|last=McNair|first=Brian|title=News and Journalism in the UK|date=18 February 2009|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1134128846|page=79|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HlB8AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA79|access-date=17 March 2014}}</ref>

Prominent BBC appointments are constantly assessed by the British media and political establishment for signs of political bias. The appointment of [[Greg Dyke]] as Director-General was highlighted by press sources because Dyke was a Labour Party member and former activist, as well as a friend of [[Tony Blair]]. The BBC's former Political Editor, [[Nick Robinson (journalist)|Nick Robinson]], was some years ago a chairman of the [[Young Conservatives (UK)|Young Conservatives]] and did, as a result, attract informal criticism from the former Labour government, but his predecessor [[Andrew Marr]] faced similar claims from the right because he was editor of ''[[The Independent]]'', a liberal-leaning newspaper, before his appointment in 2000.

[[Mark Thompson (television executive)|Mark Thompson]], former Director-General of the BBC, admitted the organisation has been biased "towards the left" in the past. He said, "In the BBC I joined 30 years ago, there was, in much of current affairs, in terms of people's personal politics, which were quite vocal, a massive bias to the left".<ref>{{cite news |last=Yesawich |first=Avi |url=http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=186893 |title=Report: BBC dir.-gen. admits previous organizational bias |newspaper=Jerusalem Post |access-date=22 September 2011 |archive-date=11 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511111244/http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=186893 |url-status=live }}</ref> He then added, "The organization did struggle then with impartiality. Now it is a completely different generation. There is much less overt tribalism among the young journalists who work for the BBC."

Following the [[Brexit|EU referendum]] in 2016, some critics suggested that the BBC was biased in favour of leaving the EU.  For instance, in 2018, the BBC received complaints from people who took issue that the BBC was not sufficiently covering anti-Brexit marches whilst giving smaller-scale events hosted by former UKIP leader Nigel Farage more airtime.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Galsworthy |first1=Mike |title=What's actually going on with the BBC and Brexit bias? |url=https://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2018/04/17/what-s-actually-going-on-with-the-bbc-and-brexit-bias |website=politics.co.uk |access-date=29 March 2019 |archive-date=29 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329032408/https://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2018/04/17/what-s-actually-going-on-with-the-bbc-and-brexit-bias |url-status=dead }}</ref> On the other hand, a poll released by YouGov showed that 45% of people who voted to leave the EU thought that the BBC was 'actively anti-Brexit' compared to 13% of the same kinds of voters who think the BBC is pro-Brexit.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Matthew |title=Is BBC News pro-Brexit or anti-Brexit? |url=https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2018/02/22/bbc-news-pro-brexit-or-anti-brexit |website=YouGov |access-date=29 March 2019 |archive-date=29 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329032405/https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2018/02/22/bbc-news-pro-brexit-or-anti-brexit |url-status=live }}</ref>

===India===
In 2008, the [[BBC Hindi]] was criticised by some Indian outlets for referring to the terrorists who carried out the [[November 2008 Mumbai attacks]] as "gunmen".<ref>[http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Dec222008/editpage20081221108056.asp Mealy-mouthed BBC]{{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The BBC cannot see the difference between a criminal and a terrorist|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/dec/14mumterror-mj-akbar-slams-bbc-for-biased-coverage-of-mumbai-terror-attack.htm|access-date=5 July 2012|work=[[Rediff.com]]|archive-date=8 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908211553/http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/dec/14mumterror-mj-akbar-slams-bbc-for-biased-coverage-of-mumbai-terror-attack.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The response to this added to prior criticism from some Indian commentators suggesting that the BBC may have an [[Indophobic]] bias.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/storyOld.php?storyId=42169 |title=BBC coverage biased, say British Hindus |publisher=Indianexpress.com |date=2 March 2004 |access-date=22 September 2011 |archive-date=15 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515113814/http://www.indianexpress.com/storyOld.php?storyId=42169 |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 2015, the BBC was criticised for a BBC [[Storyville (TV series)|''Storyville'']] documentary interviewing one of the rapists in India. In spite of a ban ordered by the Indian High court,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/03/asia/india-rape-comment-outrage/index.html | work=CNN | title=Indian court bans controversial interview with convicted rapist | author=Madison Park and Harmeet Shah Singh | date=4 March 2015 | access-date=9 May 2015 | archive-date=24 April 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424230948/http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/03/asia/india-rape-comment-outrage/index.html | url-status=live }}</ref> the BBC still aired the documentary "[[India's Daughter]]" outside India.

===Hutton Inquiry===
{{Main|Hutton Inquiry}}

BBC News was at the centre of a political controversy following the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]]. Three BBC News reports ([[Andrew Gilligan]]'s on ''[[Today programme|Today]]'', Gavin Hewitt's on ''The Ten O'Clock News'' and another on ''[[Newsnight]]'') quoted an anonymous source that stated the British government (particularly the Prime Minister's office) had embellished the [[September Dossier]] with misleading exaggerations of Iraq's [[weapons of mass destruction]] capabilities. The government denounced the reports and accused the corporation of poor journalism.

In subsequent weeks the corporation stood by the report, saying that it had a reliable source. Following intense media speculation, [[David Kelly (weapons expert)|David Kelly]] was named in the press as the source for Gilligan's story on 9 July 2003. Kelly was found dead, by suicide, in a field close to his home early on 18 July. An inquiry led by [[Brian Hutton, Baron Hutton|Lord Hutton]] was announced by the British government the following day to investigate the circumstances leading to Kelly's death, concluding that "Dr. Kelly took his own life."<ref>{{cite web|author=Vikram Dodd|title=Dr David Kelly: 10 years on, death of scientist remains unresolved for some|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/jul/16/david-kelly-death-10-years-on|newspaper=The Guardian|date=16 July 2013|access-date=24 March 2017|archive-date=24 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324180323/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/jul/16/david-kelly-death-10-years-on|url-status=live}}</ref>

In his report on 28 January 2004, Lord Hutton concluded that Gilligan's original accusation was "unfounded" and the BBC's editorial and management processes were "defective". In particular, it specifically criticised the chain of management that caused the BBC to defend its story. The BBC Director of News, [[Richard Sambrook]], the report said, had accepted Gilligan's word that his story was accurate in spite of his notes being incomplete. Davies had then told the BBC Board of Governors that he was happy with the story and told the Prime Minister that a satisfactory internal inquiry had taken place. The Board of Governors, under the chairman's, [[Gavyn Davies]], guidance, accepted that further investigation of the Government's complaints were unnecessary.

Because of the criticism in the Hutton report, Davies resigned on the day of publication. BBC News faced an important test, reporting on itself with the publication of the report, but by common consent (of the Board of Governors) managed this "independently, impartially and honestly".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3890821.stm |title=BBC Iraq war coverage criticised |access-date=11 April 2007 |date=13 July 2004 |work=BBC News |archive-date=15 March 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060315044309/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3890821.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Davies' resignation was followed by the resignation of [[Director-General of the BBC|Director General]], [[Greg Dyke]], the following day, and the resignation of Gilligan on 30 January. While undoubtedly a traumatic experience for the corporation, an ICM poll in April 2003 indicated that it had sustained its position as the best and most trusted provider of news.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3889595.stm |title=BBC report 2004: At a glance |access-date=11 April 2007 |date=13 July 2004 |work=BBC News |archive-date=15 July 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040715042305/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3889595.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Israeli–Palestinian conflict===
{{See also|Criticism of the BBC#Middle East and Israel|Balen Report}}
The BBC has faced accusations of holding both anti-[[Israel]] and anti-[[State of Palestine|Palestine]] bias.

Douglas Davis, the London correspondent of ''[[The Jerusalem Post]]'', has described the BBC's coverage of the [[Arab–Israeli conflict]] as "a relentless, one-dimensional portrayal of Israel as a demonic, criminal state and Israelis as brutal oppressors [which] bears all the hallmarks of a concerted campaign of vilification that, wittingly or not, has the effect of delegitimising the Jewish state and pumping oxygen into a dark old European hatred that dared not speak its name for the past half-century.".<ref name=Davis130>Davis, Douglas. "Hatred in the air: the BBC, Israel and Antisemitism" in Iganski, Paul & Kosmin, Barry. (eds) ''A New Anti-Semitism? Debating Judeophobia in 21st century Britain''. Profile Books, 2003, p. 130.</ref> However two large independent studies, one conducted by Loughborough University and the other by Glasgow University's Media Group concluded that Israeli perspectives are given greater coverage.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The BBC's reporting of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict |last1=Downey |first1=John |last2=Deacon |first2=David |last3=Golding |first3=Peter |last4=Oldfield |first4=B |last5=Wring |first5=Dominic |year=2006|hdl = 2134/3158}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3827207.stm |title=Palestine issue confuses Britons |work=BBC News |first=James |last=Read |date=22 June 2004 |access-date=27 September 2010 |archive-date=23 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123001938/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3827207.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Critics of the BBC argue that the Balen Report proves systematic bias against Israel in headline news programming. The ''[[Daily Mail]]'' and ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' criticised the BBC for spending hundreds of thousands of British tax payers' pounds from preventing the report being released to the public.<ref>[http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/article2398870.ece BBC fights to suppress internal report into allegations of bias against Israel] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013035628/http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/article2398870.ece |date=13 October 2008}} by Andy McSmith (''The Independent'') 28 March 2007.</ref><ref>T''Telegraph'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20061018094538/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/10/15/nbeeb15.xml BBC mounts court fight to keep 'critical' report secret], 15 October 2006.</ref>

[[Jeremy Bowen]], the Middle East Editor for BBC world news, was singled out specifically for bias by the [[BBC Trust]] which concluded that he violated "BBC guidelines on accuracy and impartiality."<ref name=ind160409>''[[The Independent]]'', 16 April 2009, [https://web.archive.org/web/20090418210846/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/bowen-breached-rules-on-impartiality-1669278.html Bowen 'breached rules on impartiality'].</ref>

An independent panel appointed by the [[BBC Trust]] was set up in 2006 to review the impartiality of the BBC's coverage of the [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbcgovernorsarchive.co.uk/docs/reviews/panel_report_final.pdf |title=Impartiality Review: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict |publisher=BBC Governors |access-date=14 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614000035/http://www.bbcgovernorsarchive.co.uk/docs/reviews/panel_report_final.pdf |archive-date=14 June 2007 |url-status = dead}}</ref> The panel's assessment was that "apart from individual lapses, there was little to suggest deliberate or systematic bias." While noting a "commitment to be fair accurate and impartial" and praising much of the BBC's coverage the independent panel concluded "that BBC output does not consistently give a full and fair account of the conflict. In some ways the picture is incomplete and, in that sense, misleading." It notes that, "the failure to convey adequately the disparity in the Israeli and Palestinian experience, [reflects] the fact that one side is in control and the other lives under occupation".

Writing in the ''Financial Times'', [[Philip Stephens (journalist)|Philip Stephens]], one of the panellists, later accused the BBC's director-general, Mark Thompson, of misrepresenting the panel's conclusions. He further opined "My sense is that BBC news reporting has also lost a once iron-clad commitment to objectivity and a necessary respect for the democratic process. If I am right, the BBC, too, is lost".<ref>Philip Stephens: BBC is losing public service plot, ''Financial Times'', 20 June 2006.</ref> Mark Thompson published a rebuttal in the FT the next day.<ref>The BBC's success story has a public service plot, Mark Thompson, ''Financial Times'', 21 June 2006.</ref>

The description by one BBC correspondent reporting on the funeral of [[Yassir Arafat]] that she had been left with tears in her eyes led to other questions of impartiality, particularly from Martin Walker<ref name=Walker>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-2174641,00.html |title=The BBC pro-Israeli? Is the Pope Jewish?-Comment-Columnists-Guest contributors |work=The Times |location=London |access-date=11 April 2007 |date=11 May 2006 |first=Martin |last=Walker |archive-date=1 October 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061001075902/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-2174641,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> in a guest opinion piece in ''[[The Times]]'', who picked out the apparent case of Fayad Abu Shamala, the [[BBC Arabic]] Service correspondent, who told a [[Hamas]] rally on 6 May 2001, that journalists in Gaza were "waging the campaign shoulder to shoulder together with the Palestinian people."<ref name=Walker/>

Walker argues that the independent inquiry was flawed for two reasons. Firstly, because the time period over which it was conducted (August 2005 to January 2006) surrounded the Israeli withdrawal from [[Gaza City|Gaza]] and [[Ariel Sharon]]'s stroke, which produced more positive coverage than usual. Furthermore, he wrote, the inquiry only looked at the BBC's domestic coverage, and excluded output on the [[BBC World Service]] and BBC World.<ref name=Walker/>

[[Tom Gross]] accused the BBC of glorifying [[List of Hamas suicide attacks|Hamas suicide bombers]], and condemned its policy of inviting guests such as [[Jenny Tonge]] and [[Tom Paulin]] who have compared Israeli soldiers to [[Nazis]]. Writing for the BBC, Paulin said [[Israel Defense Forces|Israeli soldiers]] should be "shot dead" like [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]]'s S.S, and said he could "understand how suicide bombers feel."{{Citation needed|date=September 2011}} According to Gross, Paulin and Tonge continue to be invited as regular guests, and they are among the most frequent contributors to their most widely screened arts programme.<ref>[http://old.nationalreview.com/comment/gross200406181018.asp Tom Gross on BBC] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628025507/http://old.nationalreview.com/comment/gross200406181018.asp |date=28 June 2010 }} National Review Online.</ref>

The BBC also faced criticism for not airing a [[Disasters Emergency Committee]] aid appeal for Palestinians who suffered in Gaza during 22-day war there between late 2008 and early 2009. Most other major UK broadcasters did air this appeal, but rival Sky News did not.{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}

British journalist [[Julie Burchill]] has accused BBC of creating a "climate of fear" for [[British Jews]] over its "excessive coverage" of Israel compared to other nations.<ref>{{cite web |last=Burchill |first=Julie |url=http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=178724 |title=How the British media get their kicks |publisher=Jpost.com |date=18 June 2010 |access-date=5 July 2012 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024041913/http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=178724 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In light of the [[2023 Israel–Hamas war]], the BBC suspended seven Arab journalists over allegations of expressing support for Hamas via social media.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/bbc-urgently-investigating-group-arab-173746683.html |title=BBC Suspends, Investigates 7 Arab Journalists over Hamas Support |date=15 October 2023 |access-date=22 October 2023 |archive-date=24 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231124132822/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/bbc-urgently-investigating-group-arab-173746683.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Partners===
BBC and ABC share video segments and reporters as needed in producing their newscasts. with the BBC showing ''[[ABC World News Tonight]] with [[David Muir]]'' in the UK. However, in July 2017, the BBC announced a new partnership with [[CBS News]] allows both organisations to share video, editorial content, and additional newsgathering resources in New York, London, Washington and around the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-bbc-join-forces/ |title=CBS News and BBC News join forces around the globe |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=13 July 2017 |website=CBS News |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=13 July 2017 |archive-date=13 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713124235/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-bbc-join-forces/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

BBC News subscribes to wire services from leading international agencies including [[PA Media]] (formerly Press Association), [[Reuters]], and [[Agence France-Presse]]. In April 2017, the BBC dropped [[Associated Press]] in favour of an enhanced service from AFP.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://photoarchivenews.com/news/the-bbc-drops-ap-for-afptv-ap-statement/|title = The BBC drops AP for AFPTV – read the AP Statement|date = 30 March 2017|access-date = 21 July 2017|archive-date = 11 October 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171011231855/https://photoarchivenews.com/news/the-bbc-drops-ap-for-afptv-ap-statement/|url-status = live}}</ref>

===The view of foreign governments===
BBC News reporters and broadcasts are now and have in the past been banned in several countries primarily for reporting which has been unfavourable to the ruling government. For example, correspondents were banned by the former [[apartheid]] régime of South Africa. The BBC was banned in [[Robert Mugabe#Prime Minister and President|Zimbabwe under Mugabe]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afrol.com/News2002/zim040_joytv_bbc.htm|title=Broadcasting of BBC in Zimbabwe stopped|access-date=11 April 2007|publisher=afrol – African News Agency|archive-date=30 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930180629/http://www.afrol.com/News2002/zim040_joytv_bbc.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> for eight years as a terrorist organisation until being allowed to operate again over a year after the [[2008 Zimbabwean presidential election|2008 elections]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2009/07/resuming_operations_in_zimbabw.html|title=Resuming operations in Zimbabwe|access-date=29 July 2009|archive-date=2 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202055243/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2009/07/resuming_operations_in_zimbabw.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The BBC was banned in Burma (officially [[Myanmar]]) after their coverage and commentary on anti-government protests there in September 2007. The ban was lifted four years later in September 2011. Other cases have included [[Uzbekistan]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4407086.stm|title=BBC NEWS – Programmes – From Our Own Correspondent – Uzbeks banish BBC after massacre reports|access-date=11 April 2007 | date=5 November 2005 | work=BBC News | first=Monica | last=Whitlock| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070314044208/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4407086.stm| archive-date= 14 March 2007 |url-status = live}}</ref>
China,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=21745|title=AsiaMedia : China : Censor blocks sensitive issues in BBC series|access-date=11 April 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310194208/http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=21745|archive-date=10 March 2007|url-status = dead}}</ref> and [[Pakistan]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4437494.stm BBC Urdo taken off Pakistan radio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051231214057/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4437494.stm |date=31 December 2005 }} – BBC News: 15 November 2005.</ref> [[BBC Persian]], the BBC's [[Persian language]] news site, was blocked from the Iranian internet in 2006.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2006/12/18/iran_bloggers_test_regimes_tolerance/ |title=Iran bloggers test regime's tolerance |work=The Boston Globe |access-date=11 April 2007 |date=18 December 2006 |first1=James F. |last1=Smith |first2=Anne |last2=Barnard |archive-date=16 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016191018/http://boston.com/news/world/articles/2006/12/18/iran_bloggers_test_regimes_tolerance/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The BBC News website was made available in China again in March 2008,<ref>[http://www.abclive.in/abclive_global/bbc-news-website-china.html BBC News Website Gets Access in China] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090408024616/http://abclive.in/abclive_global/bbc-news-website-china.html |date=8 April 2009 }} Dinesh Singh-Rawat, ABC Live, 25 March 2008.</ref> but {{as of|2014|October|lc=y}}, was blocked again.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/corporate2/mediacentre/statements/website-china BBC statement regarding China blocking BBC News website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208041921/http://www.bbc.co.uk/corporate2/mediacentre/statements/website-china |date=8 December 2019 }} ''BBC News'' 25 October 2014</ref>

In June 2015, the Rwandan government placed an indefinite ban on BBC broadcasts following the airing of a controversial documentary regarding the 1994 [[Rwandan genocide]], ''Rwanda's Untold Story'', broadcast on BBC2 on 1 October 2014. The UK's Foreign Office recognised "the hurt caused in Rwanda by some parts of the documentary".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jun/01/rwanda-places-indefinite-ban-on-bbc-broadcasts-over-genocide-documentary|title=Rwanda places indefinite ban on BBC broadcasts over genocide documentary|first=Dugald|last=Baird|work=The Guardian|date=1 June 2015|access-date=10 January 2016|archive-date=28 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128025853/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jun/01/rwanda-places-indefinite-ban-on-bbc-broadcasts-over-genocide-documentary|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2017, reporters from the BBC (as well as the ''[[Daily Mail]]'', ''[[The New York Times]]'', [[Politico]], [[CNN]], and others) were denied access to a United States White House briefing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/24/media-blocked-white-house-briefing-sean-spicer|title=Trump press ban: BBC, CNN and Guardian denied access to briefing|first=Sabrina|last=Siddiqui|work=The Guardian|date=25 February 2017|access-date=25 February 2017|archive-date=31 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731190705/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/24/media-blocked-white-house-briefing-sean-spicer|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2017, [[BBC Hindi|BBC India]] was banned for a period of 5 years from covering all [[List of national parks of India|national parks and sanctuaries]] in [[India]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=15 April 2017|title=Kaziranga film: BBC banned for 5 years from all national parks, sanctuaries|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kaziranga-film-bbc-banned-for-5-years-from-all-national-parks-sanctuaries-4613758/|access-date=18 April 2021|website=The Indian Express|language=en|archive-date=18 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418160439/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kaziranga-film-bbc-banned-for-5-years-from-all-national-parks-sanctuaries-4613758/|url-status=live}}</ref> Following the withdrawal of [[CGTN (TV channel)|CGTN]]'s UK broadcaster licence on 4 February 2021 by [[Ofcom]],<ref>{{Cite news|date=4 February 2021|title=Ofcom revokes Chinese broadcaster CGTN's UK licence|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55931548|access-date=4 February 2021|archive-date=20 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320110450/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55931548|url-status=live}}</ref> China banned BBC News from airing in China.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/02/12/bbc-news-banned-china-cgtn-uk.cnnbusiness |title=China bans BBC News after UK pulls CGTN's license |date=12 February 2021 |access-date=13 February 2021 |archive-date=13 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213225430/https://edition.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/02/12/bbc-news-banned-china-cgtn-uk.cnnbusiness |url-status=live }}</ref>