BBC Airs Anti-Abortion Segment — Leaves Out Pro-Choice Voices

On 5th April 2025, the BBC’s Today programme aired a segment at 7:50am discussing abortion. Disappointingly, the piece featured a convicted individual and their lawyer but failed to include a pro-choice voice. Once again, those who support reproductive rights were left out of a conversation that directly affects them.

At Abortion Rights, we believe in fair, balanced media coverage—especially on critical issues like abortion access and bodily autonomy. When public broadcasters like the BBC fail to represent pro-choice perspectives, it not only distorts the public debate, it risks silencing those fighting for essential healthcare rights.

We have written to the BBC to raise our concerns and call for better editorial balance in future coverage. You can read our letter below.

We encourage our supporters to make their voices heard. If you also feel that the BBC should do better, you can submit a formal complaint via the BBC Complaints page: https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaints/make-a-complaint

Read our letter here:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing on behalf of Abortion Rights to express our concern regarding the segment aired on the Today programme at 7:50 am on 5th April 2025, which featured an interview with a convicted individual and their lawyer. While we understand the need for diverse coverage on complex legal matters, we were disappointed that a pro-choice perspective was not included in the discussion.

As an organisation that advocates for reproductive rights, we believe it is essential that the full range of perspectives is represented in debates on abortion. While the inclusion of a clip from former judge Jonathan Sumption was appreciated, it is clear that this alone does not provide sufficient balance on such an important topic. The lack of a pro-choice viewpoint risks presenting a one-sided narrative, failing to capture the broader and ongoing debate surrounding abortion rights.

We urge the Today programme to ensure that all relevant voices are heard in future discussions on this issue, particularly those supporting the pro-choice stance, in order to ensure balanced and fair coverage. The absence of such a voice in this segment was a missed opportunity to offer your listeners a fuller understanding of the issue.

We trust that BBC Radio 4 will continue to uphold its commitment to impartial and inclusive programming, especially on matters that impact individuals’ fundamental rights.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to seeing more inclusive and balanced coverage in the future.

Yours sincerely,

Kerry Abel,

Abortion Rights Chair