The British broadcaster engaged in a "major breach" of industry standards by failing to disclose that the narrator of a documentary about Gaza was the offspring of a Hamas representative, according to UK media regulator Ofcom.
An probe by Ofcom into the documentary titled Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone has concluded that the film was "significantly deceptive".
The head of the BBC had earlier expressed regret, saying there had been "a significant failing in relation to accuracy".
The regulator has directed the broadcaster to broadcast a evening announcement about its decisions.
"Given this constitutes a significant violation of our code, we are ordering the corporation to air a announcement of our findings against it on BBC2 at 9pm, with a date to be confirmed," the regulator stated.
'Possibility to Undermine Credibility'
The watchdog's report stated: "Our investigation found that the film's omission to reveal that the voice's male guardian occupied a position in the Hamas-administered administration was materially misleading.
"This implied that the viewers did not have vital facts which may have been very significant to their assessment of the narrator and the content he provided.
"Credibility is at the core of the bond between a television network and its audience, especially for a national broadcasting corporation such as the public broadcaster.
"This oversight had the possibility to damage the exceptionally strong levels of trust that the public would have invested in a documentary produced by the BBC about the conflict in Gaza."
The film was withdrawn from iPlayer in the month of February after the boy's personal associations emerged, and in July an internal BBC review determined it infringed the broadcaster's journalistic standards on truthfulness.
A representative for the broadcaster stated: "The regulator's decision is in accordance with the findings of Peter Johnston's review, that there was a significant failing in the film in relation to the broadcaster's journalistic policies on accuracy, which aligns with clause 2.2 of Ofcom's Broadcasting Code.
"We have apologised for this and we agree with the authority's determination in full. We will comply with the sanction as soon as the date and language are confirmed."
