BBC accused of producing “propaganda” content for Saudi Arabia

The BBC, British public media, is at the heart of a controversy after the revelation of a partnership between its commercial arm, BBC Storyworks, and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund (PIF). At issue: a series of contents – films and articles – deemed too laudatory towards the kingdom, particularly on the condition of women and its ecological commitments. Critics denounce productions that amount to “glossy propaganda”, that is to say very careful and attractive content which gives a positive but partial image of reality. This content is financed by a regime regularly singled out for its human rights violations. The partnership arouses all the more unease as it comes in a context marked by the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, attributed to the Saudi authorities.

This content, hosted on a BBC-branded site but not accessible from the United Kingdom without a VPN, aims to promote the image of a country in transition, highlighting “green” investments and progressive opening to women. A presentation deemed misleading by several NGOs, who accuse the PIF of using its investments as a “soft power” tool to improve its image. For Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, these collaborations risk trivializing serious attacks on fundamental freedoms, always denounced in the kingdom. They also warn of the danger that this type of partnership represents for the editorial credibility of the BBC.

For its part, the BBC ensures that it maintains a strict separation between its commercial and journalistic activities. But this affair rekindles the debate on its economic model, weakened by the drop in revenue from audiovisual royalties.