The BBC misattributed quotes from a fan page to Sir David Attenborough in a June 23 radio broadcast.
iMediaEthics found out about the snafu from a correction posted on the BBC’s website. iMediaEthics wrote to the BBC seeking more information about what went wrong. A BBC spokesperson pointed us to the Telegraph’s news story which explained the fake Attenborough post claimed he suggested feeding bees water and sugar. The Telegraph reported that the BBC asked Facebook to remove the post.
The fake Attenborough post said, according to the Telegraph:
“If bees were to disappear from the face of the earth, humans would have just four years to live.
“If you find a tired bee in your home, a simple solution of sugar and water will help revive an exhausted bee.”
In a July 9 correction, the BBC said:
“In the introduction to a Nature Notes item about bees we referred to a Facebook post from Sir David Attenborough. However we quoted from a fan page on Facebook and not a site connected with Sir David personally. We should not have quoted the remarks or its statements about bee populations. We apologise for the error.”