BBC’s director general Tim Davie and the CEO of News Deborah Turness both resigned on Sunday. The shock decisions came after the BBC’s flagship documentary show Panorama was accused of doctoring a Donald Trump speech to make it seem like he encouraged the January 6 Capitol riot.
“This is a sad day for the BBC. Tim has been an outstanding Director-General for the last five years. He has propelled the BBC forward with determination, single-mindedness and foresight,” said BBC Chairman Samir Shah. “He has had the full support of me and the Board throughout. However, I understand the continued pressure on him, personally and professionally, which has led him to take this decision today. The whole Board respects the decision and the reasons for it.”
In an exit statement to BBC staff, Davie wrote, “Like all public organisations, the BBC is not perfect, and we must always be open, transparent and accountable. While not being the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably contributed to my decision. Overall the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as Director-General I have to take ultimate responsibility.”
In her own statement, Turness said she has “taken the difficult decision that it will no longer be my role to lead you in the collective vision that we all have: to pursue the truth with no agenda.”
Trouble for the BBC began on Nov. 3, after the Telegraph published details of a 19-page dossier on BBC bias by a former independent external advisor to the BBC’s standards committee. In the report, Panorama was accused of splicing together footage that made Trump “‘say’ things [he] never actually said.” One of the most damning clips shows Trump declaring he would walk with his supporters to the Capitol and “fight like hell,” when he actually encouraged them to “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
The dossier also claimed that the BBC’s top brass ignored complaints and suggestions by the standards committee.
Davie has faced a number of major scandals since being named director general in 2020, including the resignation of the BBC’s top new anchor Huw Edwards and accusations of bias from both sides over its coverage of the war in Gaza. Earlier this year, the BBC apologised over the documentary “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone” after it emerged that the 13-year-old narrator’s father held a position in the Hamas-run administration, an omission that regulator Ofcom said was a “serious breach” of broadcasting rules.
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Davie first joined the BBC in 2005 as director of marketing, communications and audiences. Turness was named CEO of BBC News in 2022 and previously served as president of NBC News.
From Variety US