Leading journalist John Ware wins Wizo media award

BBC journalist John Ware has claimed that there is a “deficit” in the corporation’s coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  The award-winning investigative journalist, who worked on the BBC public affairs programme Panorama from 1986 to 2012, was speaking at the Wizo Commitment Awards event on Monday night.  Mr Ware, who was presented with the Media Award by JC editor Stephen Pollard, told the audience: “I think there have been problems with the BBC’s coverage [of Israel].

“I think the BBC has got it wrong sometimes, but I think it has improved.  “It’s a very complex conflict. You are required to put yourself into each side’s head and report how each side sees the other without showing your slip – and that is not easy.” He said the BBC had failed to scrutinise the Palestinian side of the conflict. “I do think there is a deficit – and it’s a point I have often made to the BBC,” he added.
“Western media outlets as a whole, do not [look at] the individuals and culture of the Palestinian side of the conflict anything like the same extent the Israeli side is scrutinised.  “I think that is a deficit and needs to be dealt with.

“I think if it was dealt with people would have a much better understanding of the more polarised positions that people think the Israelis take.”
Mr Pollard said: “There are reporters, good journalists and there is John Ware. “John is in a different league to most journalists. I tell our trainees at the JC, that if there is one person they should model themselves on, it is John Ware.  “John is a font of knowledge, he is trustworthy, he is reliable, he does all his research. “Apart from being the most brilliant journalist that I am aware of in this country, John is also a mensch.”
At the event, winners were co-presented with an award by the category’s sponsor and businessman Claude Littner.

The Wizo Commitment Awards winners were:
Commitment to Media Award
● John Ware is one of the country's leading investigative journalists, who in recent years has made a series of agenda-settting programmes for the BBC on Islamist entryism and terrorism. His work was described as "courageous, independent yet broadly sympathetic to Jewish concerns". The judges commended Mr Ware for his calm authority and encyclopaedic knowledge of Islamist extremism.


http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/138977/leading-journalist-john-ware-wins-wizo-media-award