THE BBC has defended its coverage of VE Day street parties during lockdown after members of the public expressed concern over whether social distancing rules were being adhered to at the events.
A BBC News at Six package showing people outside on the street celebrating the 75th anniversary of the historic date was the focus of much scrutiny online.
READ MORE: VE Day: People baffled as media shows parties during lockdown
Channel 4’s Ciaran Jenkins posted screenshots of the images asking if the guidance had changed to allow for these street parties, before clarifying it had not.
Under current lockdown restrictions, designed to control the spread of coronavirus, members of the public should only go outside for food, health reasons or work if they are unable to work from home. If they go outside, they must stay two metres away from others at all times.
People seem to have flicked a switch today and normalised street parties. Has the guidance changed? pic.twitter.com/5rxBBd8qh5
— Ciaran Jenkins (@C4Ciaran) May 8, 2020
A BBC spokesperson said “perspectives on camera can sometimes be deceiving”, adding the journalist discussing the parties last night “made clear in the report that people were social distancing”.
They said the reporter also made clear that those standing close together were from the same households.
When asked how the street parties fit with the stay-at-home guidance, they added: “It is not for BBC News to instruct people how they should behave and our presence at this event was only to report on what was already taking place.”
Sky News is also under fire for broadcasting people on a street in Wimbledon singing Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again and standing close together.
And a clip of people taking part in a “socially distanced conga” line near Warrington has sparked anger online.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel