BackLAW
Ofcom partially upholds police watchdog complaint about BBC Panorama on Chris Kaba case
Ofcom has partially upheld a complaint from the police watchdog about a Panorama episode on the shooting of Chris Kaba. The regulator said Naseem’s contributions were fair, but criticised the programme for not giving the IOPC a proper chance to respond to criticisms by Basu and Long, which could have unfairly influenced viewers. It also said the BBC added the IOPC statement to the iPlayer version and online article after the criminal trial, and separately upheld a complaint about Mike Graham's Talk TV show over Met Office temperature data.
Why It Matters
The ruling illustrates how broadcasters must balance responses from policing oversight bodies and critics to avoid shaping public opinion unfairly. It also signals ongoing regulatory scrutiny of how police-related stories are presented in media.
Timeline
2 Events
Ofcom upholds IOPC complaints and rules on Panorama broadcast
May 11, 2026
Ofcom partially upheld a complaint from the IOPC over a Panorama episode. The regulator found that while Sal Naseem’s contribution was presented fairly, the programme did not give the IOPC a proper opportunity to respond to criticisms by Neil Basu and Tony Long, which could have unfairly affected viewers' opinions of the IOPC. Ofcom also noted that the broadcaster had added the IOPC's statement to the iPlayer version and the online article after the criminal trial. The IOPC director-general Rachel Watson said the organisation was pleased that Ofcom had upheld two of their complaints. Separately, Ofcom upheld a complaint against Mike Graham's Talk TV show following a Met Office complaint after he said the temperature data had been 'made up'.
Shooting of Chris Kaba and start of IOPC murder investigation
September 2022
Chris Kaba was shot by a police officer, Martyn Blake, after trying to ram his car past police cars in Streatham in September 2022. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched a murder investigation four days after the shooting.