Sinn Fein minister urges BBC to ‘learn lessons’ from Gerry Adams libel case
John O’Dowd said management at the corporation had knee-jerked in their reaction to Friday’s verdict at Dublin High Court.
BBC management must reflect on the outcome of the Gerry Adams libel case and avoid knee-jerk reactions to the verdict, a Sinn Fein minister has said.
Stormont’s Finance Minister John O’Dowd said he welcomed the outcome of the high-profile case.
Former Sinn Fein leader Mr Adams took the BBC to court over a 2016 episode of its Spotlight programme, and an accompanying online story, which he said defamed him by alleging he sanctioned the killing of former Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson, for which he denies any involvement.
A jury at the High Court in Dublin awarded Mr Adams 100,000 euro (£84,000) when it found in his favour on Friday after determining that was the meaning of words included in the programme and article.
It also found the BBC’s actions were not in good faith and the corporation had not acted in a fair and reasonable way.
Mr Donaldson was shot dead in Co Donegal in 2006, months after admitting his role as a police and MI5 agent over 20 years.
Mr Adams’ legal team said the verdict of the jury was a “full vindication” for their client while the BBC said it was “disappointed” with the outcome, warning it could have “profound implications and potentially “hinder freedom of expression”.
Following the jury’s decision, Mr Adams said his case had been about “putting manners” on the BBC. The veteran republican claimed the corporation upheld the ethos of the British state in Ireland and was “out of sync” on many fronts in relation to the Good Friday peace agreement.
The National Union of Journalists has described those remarks as “chilling”.
Seamus Dooley, Irish secretary of the NUJ, also said the case showed the need for reform of Ireland’s defamation laws.
However, Mr O’Dowd said the BBC reaction to the case indicated it was “unwilling to learn lessons”.
“I welcome the judgment,” he told BBC Radio Ulster.
“I think it’s a timely reminder that everyone has the right to defend their name in court. Gerry has been successful in his case and I think the BBC have lessons to learn, and they should instead of the knee-jerk reaction that we’ve heard thus far from them, I think they should take a time of reflection and reflect on that court judgment.”
The minister was asked if Mr Adams’ claims about the BBC upholding the ethos of the British state and being out of sync with the Good Friday Agreement reflected Sinn Fein’s position on the broadcaster.
“I think it’s a position that many in society hold,” he replied.
“There are many, many fine journalists from the BBC – there’s no question about that. But I think the upper echelons of the BBC in the north and the reaction to the court judgment shows that they’re unwilling to learn lessons.
“They’re unwilling to reflect on their own role and responsibility. So, I think … this is a time for the BBC to reflect, and the upper echelons of the BBC to reflect, rather than some of the knee-jerk reactions we’ve seen from them thus far.”
