Thousands complain of excessive coverage of Nelson Mandela’s death on BBC

• Posted on December 10, 2013
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

More than 1,000 viewers have complained about ‘excessive’ coverage of Nelson Mandela’s death on BBC services, including some who grumbled about a repeat of Mrs Brown’s Boys being interrupted.

The BBC has defended the extent to which it featured the death of the former South African president, a major news item which led bulletins around the world.

By today the corporation had received 1,350 complaints about too much coverage across its news services, with some saying the emphasis had reduced the coverage of severe weather across the UK that day.

Programme chiefs broke into a repeat of BBC1 sitcom Mrs Brown’s Boys to break the news.

The BBC has defended its coverage and said Mandela’s death was of ‘considerable interest’ to audiences in the UK and across the rest of the world.

A BBC spokeswoman said the corporation had also continued to cover other major stories.

The spokeswoman today said: ‘Nelson Mandela was a hugely significant world leader with an enormous political and cultural influence across the world.

‘His death is of considerable interest to our audiences at home and across the globe.

‘We know that people turn to the BBC for authoritative coverage of breaking news and we will continue to provide comprehensive coverage for a wide range of BBC News outlets, across TV, radio and online, as the world reacts to his passing, reflects on his legacy, and prepares for his funeral.

‘After the initial announcement we have, of course, continued to cover other major stories as they have developed.’

The news of Mandela’s death dominated news coverage throughout the weekend, while Parliament today cleared its agenda for eight hours of tributes to the former South African president.

Addressing a packed House of Commons, Prime Minister David Cameron told MPs: ‘Nelson Mandela was a towering figure in our lifetime – a pivotal figure in the history of South Africa and the world – and it is right that we meet in this Parliament to pay tribute to his character, his achievements and his legacy.’

Labour leader Ed Miliband told the Commons Mr Mandela can truly call himself the father of a nation.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg meanwhile said Mr Mandela’s upholding of the principles of truth and reconciliation after being released from prison and becoming South Africa’s first black president laid down a blueprint for other societies ridden with conflict and division to follow.

Final preparations are being made for Mandela’s funeral, which is set to be the biggest in South Africa’s history.

More than 70 world leaders are due to fly in to South Africa this week to attend a series of events to mark the life of one of humanity’s great peacemakers.

They include Cuban leader Raul Castro and Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe who could rub shoulders with Mr Cameron and Prince Charles in an unprecedented gathering.

Iran’s Hassan Rouhani will also be among the heads of state flying in to commemorate Mandela, as will U.S. President Barack Obama and former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.

Today, South Africa’s parliament begun a special session honouring the nation’s former leader.

The session began in Cape Town, with an announcement that members of Mandela’s family were sitting in the gallery.

Kgalema Motlanthe, South Africa’s deputy president, began the proceedings with a speech. He described how Mandela’s influence in South Africa and around the globe caused a ‘sweeping feeling of sorrow’ worldwide following his death.



-Daily Mail