Community leaders back report calling for ‘flawed’ BBC Trust overhaul

Jewish community leaders have wholeheartedly agreed with a report’s finding that the BBC Trust is “flawed” and should be completely overhauled, with governance transferred to media watchdog Ofcom.

The heads of the Jewish Leadership Council and the Board of Deputies echoed business leader Sir David Clementi, who said there should be “fundamental reform of the system of governance and regulation” for the national broadcaster.

The JLC’s Simon Johnson, who spent ten years at ITV, said: “Having worked for a business which is regulated by OFCOM, I agree that putting the BBC within its remit is likely to increase public confidence in it and make it more accountable.”

Meanwhile, the Board’s Jonathan Arkush said Clementi’s conclusion was “absolutely correct,” adding: “We now look forward to wholesale reform of the governance of the BBC and the establishment of a complaints process that is fair and transparent. This has been lacking for far too long.”

Jewish groups have accused the BBC of being “institutionally anti-Semitic” over its coverage of Israel’s wars in Gaza, but Palestinian supporters also accuse the broadcaster for covering Israeli actions “entirely devoid of context or background”.