EXCLUSIVE: BBC Information’ prime boss has acknowledged it’s been a testing week for the UK broadcaster.
In an e-mail to employees on Friday (full textual content under), Deborah Turness offered one thing of a pep speak for journalists after a string of bruising revelations about BBC Information’ output.
Turness, the previous president of NBC Information Worldwide, stated: “I’m writing to you at present as a result of it’s all the time tough when the BBC turns into a narrative – because it has, in some quarters, this week.
“Such as you, I work right here as a result of I care passionately about trusted information and neutral journalism. I take satisfaction every single day within the high quality and consistency of BBC Information, and I do know that’s all the way down to all of you – your unwavering dedication to our editorial values and your experience.”
It follows The Day by day Telegraph acquiring a leaked memo attacking BBC Information output. The doc was penned by Michael Prescott, who was an exterior adviser to the BBC board’s Editorial Tips and Requirements Committee till June.
The 19-page memo revealed how a BBC Panorama documentary selectively edited Donald Trump’s January 6 speech to make it seem as if the president was encouraging the 2021 Capitol riot. It additionally accused BBC Arabic of getting an anti-Israel agenda and alleged that the company had been “captured by a small group of individuals” selling a pro-trans agenda.
Prescott’s issues have prompted questions from Ofcom and UK Parliament’s influential Tradition, Media and Sport Committee. Prescott was resulting from give proof to the Tradition, Media and Sport Committee subsequent week, however the listening to has been postponed.
BBC chair Samir Shah, who sat on the company’s Editorial Tips and Requirements Committee alongside Prescott, will write to the Tradition, Media and Sport Committee on Monday along with his response to the allegations.
Turness stated: “The chairman will likely be offering a full response on Monday, and this will likely be shared with you, however I felt it was necessary for me to come back to you as CEO of BBC Information earlier than the top of the week.”
She thanked employees for protection of the migrant disaster and the “horrendous” knife assault on a British practice final weekend, which left 11 injured. “Thanks for all that you simply do,” Turness stated.
Hi there everybody,
I’m writing to you at present as a result of it’s all the time tough when the BBC turns into a narrative – because it has, in some quarters, this week. Such as you, I work right here as a result of I care passionately about trusted information and neutral journalism. I take satisfaction every single day within the high quality and consistency of BBC Information, and I do know that’s all the way down to all of you – your unwavering dedication to our editorial values and your experience.
You’ll all have seen the information protection following the leaking of a letter to the BBC Board from Michael Prescott, who’s a former advisor to the BBC’s Editorial Tips and Requirements Committee (EGSC). The EGSC is a sub-committee of the BBC Board.
Additionally, you will bear in mind that following this week’s protection, the BBC Chairman has acquired a letter from Caroline Dinenage, the Chair of the Commons Tradition, Media & Sport Committee searching for reassurance from the BBC. The Chairman will likely be offering a full response on Monday, and this will likely be shared with you, however I felt it was necessary for me to come back to you as CEO of BBC Information earlier than the top of the week.
I want to take this chance to thanks for one more week that noticed a relentless information agenda. It started with the horrendous knife assault on the LNER practice in Huntingdon – so a lot of you responded when the decision got here, regardless of it being at a weekend. And so many hundreds of thousands got here to our dwell pages and dwell streams and channels because the occasion unfolded.
I’d additionally like to say our dedication to protecting the migrant disaster – one of the vital polarising subjects of our instances with Ed Thomas’ expose of a legal community enabling migrants to work illegally in mini-marts throughout the UK. We all know this sort of journalism actually issues to our audiences. Equally necessary is our highly effective journalism that’s bringing the reality of what’s taking place in Sudan to our UK and international audiences. Barbara Plett-Usher, World Service and BBC Confirm have all delivered exhausting hitting journalism on this story.
Thanks for all that you simply do.
Deborah
