'Need to start calling them out!' BBC blasted for green screen scandal: 'They're presenting something which isn't true'

'Need to start calling them out!' BBC blasted for green screen scandal: 'They're presenting something which isn't true'

WATCH NOW: Bev Turner and Andrew Pierce react to BBC report from Islamabad

GB News
Georgia Pearce

By Georgia Pearce


Published: 19/03/2024

- 12:41

Updated: 19/03/2024

- 12:47

The BBC claimed the reporter was broadcasting live from Islamabad

The BBC has been slammed after appearing to present a report from Islamabad in front of a green screen.

The broadcaster has sparked widespread criticism after Pakistan Correspondent Caroline Davies was delivering a report live from Islamabad, but appeared to be in front of a screen.


The report, which claimed Davies was 'live' from her location, featured looped footage in the background of her broadcast.

Viewers spotted the footage of a motorway was looped after the same vehicles appear to drive past Davies again and again.

Bev Turner and BBC Reporter

Bev Turner raged at the BBC's 'live' coverage from Islamabad

GB News / BBC

Reacting to the footage, GB News host Bev Turner argued the broadcast demonstrates "double standards" for the channel, and questioned how the BBC "are able to get away with it".

Joining Bev was GP and Medical Writer Dr Renee Hoenderkamp, who argued that the BBC has "one rule for them and one rule for everyone else".

Hoenderkamp fumed: "They are quite happy to tell the world that we are the arbiters of what is truth. It's just obscene that they are allowed to paint this picture, that they are the place to go for really trustworthy information.

"This says live, it's clearly not live, it's clearly a lie. And I think we need to start being able to call the BBC out. Why are Ofcom not in charge of what the BBC did?"

BBC Reporter

The BBC reporter appeared to be standing in front of a green screen, reporting 'live' from Islamabad

BBC

Host Andrew Pierce agreed with Hoenderkamp, claiming: "If that had been GB News they wouldn't have thrown the book at us, they'd have thrown the entire library at us!"

GB News Senior Commentator Nigel Nelson also criticised the BBC's broadcast, and said the apparent green screen footage "cannot be justified".

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Nelson told GB News: "The whole thing is that they're presenting something which is basically not true. There was no reason why that interview could not be done in a studio with that kind of backdrop of Islamabad. We're back to that thing about manipulating images."

Nelson noted that in the current climate of AI, "you don't know what is actually genuine anymore and what isn't" and argued that it is "essential" for news organisations such as the BBC to put out material that is genuine.

He added: "The BBC has a huge audience abroad. If we have a national broadcaster such as the BBC, which is going all over the world, it's got to be truthful."

Renee Hoenderkamp

Dr Renee Hoenderkamp said the BBC should be 'called out' for the report

GB News

When asked by Bev if she still has trust in the BBC, Hoenderkamp admitted that her trust for the broadcaster "was lost during the coronavirus pandemic".

Hoenderkamp recalled: "They put me on there and used people to absolutely spout nonsense at me to make me look like a lunatic. So no, I lost it then."

Bev agreed with Hoenderkamp and admitted she is "sad" that she has "lost her faith in the BBC". Nelson disagreed and claimed he "still has faith" in the broadcaster.

Nelson responded: "I still think it delivers reasonable, impartial news. So I'm quite happy with that. It is even to the point where the balance of the BBC goes too far. So what tends to happen is they want to make things so balanced that minority voices get a disproportionate amount of airtime and so slightly skew the debate."

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