BBC Boss resigns after car crash radio/TV interviews... with the BBC

[Peacemoon]

Anyone else following this story? Its pretty extraordinary and both interviews are cringe worthy. John Humphreys in particular just destroys his own BBC boss live on radio..

[Deleted]

This is why if the vultures circling the BBC get their way and privatize it then it will be a real shame, what other organization would shine a spotlight at it's failings in this way?

[Deleted]

This is why if the vultures circling the BBC get their way and privatize it then it will be a real shame, what other organization would shine a spotlight at it's failings in this way?

one that has to answer to the paying public, the license payers want to feel like something is being done

[Peacemoon]

This is why if the vultures circling the BBC get their way and privatize it then it will be a real shame, what other organization would shine a spotlight at it's failings in this way?

Have to admit, the John Humphrys interview shows both the best and worse of the BBC at the same time. A little too politically correct, a little too bureaucratic, but still a great and unrivalled institution.

[Laize]

Can someone summarize what happened? I don't have 25 minutes to watch 2 vids.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

Can someone summarize what happened? I don't have 25 minutes to watch 2 vids.

In September, George Entwistle became the boss of the BBC. Shortly later, the story re-emerged that the late Sir Jimmy Savile, a radio and television presenter employed by the BBC from the 1970s onwards who was most famous for his "Jim'll fix it" childrens TV show where he granted kids their biggest wish, was a sexual predator. Very quickly hundreds of people contacted the police alleging that they were molested by him during his time at the BBC. Enquiries are opened into his role at the Secure Psychiatric Hospital Broadmore in the 1980s.

Newsnight, a consumer affairs show that tackles scandals in business, politics and the like was going to run a story on this affair, but that specific broadcast got axed - this was back in 2011, two months after Savile died. The CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) dropped the case against Savile because of lack of testimony against him, and the Newsnight investigation was put on ice.

On the 3rd October 2012, days after Entwistle became Director-General of the BBC, ITV (a commercial TV channel) aired a documentary that brought new evidence to light about Sir Jimmy Savile. After this broadcast, Entwistle announced two in-depth inquiries: one into why the Newsnight investigation was dropped, the other into the practises of the BBC in the 1970s and '80s. On the 23rd October 2012, Entwistle is called before a parliamentary committee and asked questions. During this questioning, he revealed that he did not think that the Newsnight investigation should have been dropped.

On the 2nd November, a Newsnight programme about an alleged paedophile in the upper echelons of government is to be aired. This individual is now known to be Lord McAlpine, who is also known to be innocent. The programme is broadcast without asking Lord McAlpine for his comment on the allegations. Various governmental and police inquiries are launched into the abuse of children in care homes in Wales.

On the 9th November, the BBC issued a full public apology to Lord McAlpine and suspended all Newsnight investigations.

On the morning of the 10th November, George Entwistle says on breakfast TV that he did not see the Newsnight programme until after it was broadcasted. He also alleged that he did not see the tweets or newspaper articles accusing the programme of a mistaken identity.

He resigned in the evening of the same day, saying "in the light of the unacceptable journalistic standards of the Newsnight film broadcast on Friday 2 November" he had decided it was "the honourable thing to do".

[Laize]

In September, George Entwistle became the boss of the BBC. Shortly later, the story re-emerged that the late Sir Jimmy Savile, a radio and television presenter employed by the BBC from the 1970s onwards who was most famous for his "Jim'll fix it" childrens TV show where he granted kids their biggest wish, was a sexual predator. Very quickly hundreds of people contacted the police alleging that they were molested by him during his time at the BBC. Enquiries are opened into his role at the Secure Psychiatric Hospital Broadmore in the 1980s.

Newsnight, a consumer affairs show that tackles scandals in business, politics and the like was going to run a story on this affair, but that specific broadcast got axed - this was back in 2011, two months after Savile died. The CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) dropped the case against Savile because of lack of testimony against him, and the Newsnight investigation was put on ice.

On the 3rd October 2012, days after Entwistle became Director-General of the BBC, ITV (a commercial TV channel) aired a documentary that brought new evidence to light about Sir Jimmy Savile. After this broadcast, Entwistle announced two in-depth inquiries: one into why the Newsnight investigation was dropped, the other into the practises of the BBC in the 1970s and '80s. On the 23rd October 2012, Entwistle is called before a parliamentary committee and asked questions. During this questioning, he revealed that he did not think that the Newsnight investigation should have been dropped.

On the 2nd November, a Newsnight programme about an alleged paedophile in the upper echelons of government is to be aired. This individual is now known to be Lord McAlpine, who is also known to be innocent. The programme is broadcast without asking Lord McAlpine for his comment on the allegations. Various governmental and police inquiries are launched into the abuse of children in care homes in Wales.

On the 9th November, the BBC issued a full public apology to Lord McAlpine and suspended all Newsnight investigations.

On the morning of the 10th November, George Entwistle says on breakfast TV that he did not see the Newsnight programme until after it was broadcasted. He also alleged that he did not see the tweets or newspaper articles accusing the programme of a mistaken identity.

He resigned in the evening of the same day, saying "in the light of the unacceptable journalistic standards of the Newsnight film broadcast on Friday 2 November" he had decided it was "the honourable thing to do".

Jeez, man. Why can't all journalists be so concise? I don't think I've ever had a story laid out in so clear and concise a manner in my life.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

Quick update - The Director of News Helen Boaden who made the call to stop the Newsnight investigation back in 2011 has "stepped aside" (i.e. been told to resign), as has her deputy.

There is also a whole load of shit being kicked up about the decision to pay Entwistle a year's salary (445,000 GBP) in lieu of notice.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

I don't have 25 minutes to watch 2 vids.

Then do as Laize did, and read what I wrote instead of hitting "reply" without reading the entirety of the super-long 8 post thread.

[N-7]

I don't know but it seems that there are more corruption related stories in the news and banking sectors here in UK. Am I wrong?

[Bakis]

BBC will rise again but this has been one of the most blatent scandals in media in a very long time.
Poor judgment doesnt even begin to describe how it was managed by the top.

[koodledrum]

Can someone summarize what happened? I don't have 25 minutes to watch 2 vids.

Actually in this instance Butler Log has actually missed the main part of the reason.

A Conservative peer (Lord) was incorrectly implicated by BBC programing as being complicit in child abuse scandal, linked to a wider investigation into child abuse concerning a former BBC presenter.

he didn't resign directly because of the Saville affair (as it was prior to his time at the BBC - albeit in recent weeks he's handled it poorly), but resigned as a result of the Newsnight report on Nov. 2nd.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

Actually in this instance Butler Log has actually missed the main part of the reason.

A Conservative peer (Lord) was incorrectly implicated by BBC programing as being complicit in child abuse scandal, linked to a wider investigation into child abuse concerning a former BBC presenter.

he didn't resign directly because of the Saville affair (as it was prior to his time at the BBC - albeit in recent weeks he's handled it poorly), but resigned as a result of the Newsnight report on Nov. 2nd.

I said that

On the 2nd November, a Newsnight programme about an alleged paedophile in the upper echelons of government is to be aired. This individual is now known to be Lord McAlpine, who is also known to be innocent. The programme is broadcast without asking Lord McAlpine for his comment on the allegations. Various governmental and police inquiries are launched into the abuse of children in care homes in Wales.