Complaints pour in over BBC Jackson coverage

The BBC has revealed it received nearly 750 complaints over its coverage of the death of Michael Jackson, which some viewers deemed excessive.

Writing on the corporation’s website, BBC newsroom head Mary Hockaday, said: “We've had a number of complaints about our coverage, the main charge being that we simply did too much: that his death didn't justify the prominence and scale of our reporting through Friday and into the weekend.”

She added: “The story was certainly very prominent, with extensive reporting on our domestic and global news channels and it was the lead story on our television and radio bulletins and on the web.”

“But this wasn't to the exclusion of other important stories domestically and internationally. Friday was also the third day of our special coverage on television and our website from Pakistan and Afghanistan.”

She added that audiences for BBC TV bulletins were “a little higher than average for a Friday evening” and that the website received the second highest number of unique users since Barack Obama’s election.

More than one commenter agreed the Beeb had gone over the top. “In his prime, Jackson was certainly one of the greatest entertainers in the world,” posted one respondent going by the name of "winstonscott". “But a 'musical genius' and one that merited the whole of Newsnight being given over to him? A disproportionate reaction, I'm afraid.”

According to The Guardian, a senior source said the Jackson coverage netted 10 to 15 times more complaints than the number received for the recently published expenses of BBC executives.

One wry commenter wrote: “I guess that the BBC made a choice between the death of a pop musician and the… BBC expenses scandal. Must have been a tough decision.”

by Will Parkhouse, Thursday 2 July 2009

Sources: BBC, The Guardian
Picture: PA

• >> Next: Are You Being Served? actress Molly Sugden dies
• << Previous: Previewed - Can I Get High Legally?