BBC journalists reportedly told to avoid saying US ‘kidnapped’ Venezuelan leader Maduro
Leaked memo from British broadcaster also instructs staff to use ‘captured’ when referring to America’s description of the military raid
BBC journalists have reportedly been instructed not to describe America’s abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro as a “kidnapping”, according to a British newspaper columnist.
The editorial instruction was unveiled on Monday by Owen Jones, a commentator with more than a million followers on social media. Jones said a memo from BBC management had been passed to him.
According to an image Jones uploaded with his post, the guidelines told BBC journalists to use “captured” when referring to America’s description of the military operation, permitted them to use the word “seized” and advised them to avoid using “kidnapped”.
In his post on Tuesday, Jones said: “I’ve been leaked this from the BBC. It’s a memo from BBC management, which refers to a discussion had at ‘the Nine’ – that is, the 9am editorial meeting.”
“It de facto bans BBC journalists from stating that the US ‘kidnapped’ Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro,” he added.
According to the uploaded image, the directive was meant to “ensure clarity and consistency” in the BBC’s reporting.