The BBC said one of its presenters “breached” its guidelines when she criticized President Trump.
Naga Munchetty, 44, said she was “absolutely furious” when Trump told a group of Democratic congresswomen to “go back” to the “places from which they came.”
“Every time I have been told, as a woman of color, to go back to where I came from, that was embedded in racism,” Munchetty, who is British-Indian, said July 17 while speaking on BBC Breakfast.
“Now, I’m not accusing anyone of anything here, but you know what certain phrases mean,” she said. “I can imagine lots of people in this country will be feeling absolutely furious that a man in that position feels it’s OK to skirt the lines with using language like that.”
The BBC’s complaints unit ruled this week that “while Ms Munchetty was entitled to give a personal response to the phrase ‘go back to your own country’ as it was rooted in her own experience, overall her comments went beyond what the guidelines allow for.”
The BBC said any action taken against Munchetty would be disclosed at a later time.
Some BBC journalists expressed their disapproval of the ruling.
BBC correspondent Sangita Myska said there was “bewilderment” among minority staff at the BBC over the decision.
Right now, there is a lot of bewilderment among BAME staff:#NagaMunchetty ‘breached BBC rules’ with Trump comments https://t.co/o5tcppTsEG
— Sangita Myska (@BBCSangita) September 25, 2019
Presenter Carrie Gracie said there was “unease” among her colleagues and called on the complaints unit to give more of an explanation for the reprimand.
#nagamunchetty Unease among #BBC journalists for whom ‘go back’ = racist. If power trumps or bends meaning then no point in journalism, just print propaganda. There is no #BBC journalism worth the name without #BBC values. Accountability is one. Explain @BBCNaga reprimand please.
— Carrie Gracie (@BBCCarrie) September 25, 2019
