BBC to stop showing 'high-risk' acts live after Bob Vylan row
LONDON
The BBC said on July 4 it would no longer live-broadcast musical performances deemed "high risk" following controversy over the behavior of punk-rap duo Bob Vylan during their Glastonbury set.
The British broadcaster has attracted criticism for having failed to pull a livestream of the performance after its frontman’s comments at the festival in southwest England last week.
British police said on June 30 they were launching a criminal investigation into the remarks made by Bob Vylan at the festival in southwestern England.
British and other politicians condemned London-based duo Bob Vylan, who often tackle racism in their tracks, after they led the crowds in chants of "Death to the IDF" — the Israeli military.
"We fully understand the strength of feeling regarding Bob Vylan's live appearance at Glastonbury on the BBC," the broadcaster said in its latest statement. "Errors were made both in the lead-up to and during" the appearance.
"We are taking actions to ensure proper accountability for those found to be responsible for those failings in the live broadcast," while setting out some immediate changes to the streaming of music events, the BBC added.
"Any music performances deemed high risk will now not be broadcast live or streamed live," the statement said.
The duo has also been dropped from a music festival in Manchester, the organizers said on July 2.
"Bob Vylan will not be appearing at Radar Festival this weekend," organizers posted on Instagram.
A defiant Vylan said: "Manchester we will back."
"Silence is not an option. We will be fine, the people of Palestine are hurting," he wrote on Instagram.
