Royal Television Society reinstates award for Gaza journalists after backlash

The Royal Television Society (RTS) in the UK has reversed its decision to cancel the award recognizing the work of journalists in Gaza, which it had made last week. This move comes after the initial cancellation sparked widespread controversy.

A spokesperson stated in a statement released through _Deadline_, "Following the decision to suspend the award, the RTS convened meetings this week as part of a review process previously announced by the Society." The spokesperson added, "The Society remains committed to recognizing the work of journalists in Gaza and will present a special award. The specific format of the award is currently under discussion."

The spokesperson also stated, "There was a strong feeling that the controversy surrounding the Gaza coverage could overshadow the award on the night." This is a reference to a BBC documentary that was removed from its streaming platform. The documentary, titled "Gaza: How to Survive in a War Zone," which tells the stories of children in Gaza, was taken down from iPlayer in February after pressure from pro-Israeli figures due to the fact that one of the children featured was the son of a Palestinian minister. Ministers, bureaucrats, and civil servants in Gaza are appointed by Hamas, while those in the West Bank are appointed by the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The decision to cancel the award at last week's British Television Journalism Awards ceremony triggered strong protests in the UK, particularly among media professionals. Nearly 400 journalists, including prominent media figures, signed a petition requesting a meeting with King Charles to explain the decision to cancel the award and the decision-making process.

Signatories, including Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, television and radio host Sangita Myska, and historian and former BBC current affairs presenter Jonathan Dimbleby, called the RTS's decision "cowardly." While the RTS stated that it is "discussing how to proceed," media professionals have welcomed the decision, while stating that "the charity’s statement does not adequately address these concerns."

In a letter released by the British Palestinian Artists Network, the UK film and television industry criticized the RTS's recent statement for characterizing the decision to cancel the award merely as a "suspension" and a "previously announced review process," despite the fact that no such process had been mentioned before. "Given the organisation’s apparent attempt to reframe this shameful episode, we insist on full answers to the questions we posed in our letter of March 11. We would also like to ask: why has it taken RTS far longer to reinstate the award than it took to withdraw it?" the letter stated.