BBC Director Resigns Following Backlash Over Altered Documentary on Trump
BBC Director-General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness resigned on Sunday evening amid controversy sparked by a documentary aired on the BBC Panorama program, which was accused of manipulating segments of a speech by U.S. President Donald Trump.
In a statement, Davie said his decision was “entirely personal” after five years in the role, adding: “Despite the organization’s strong performance, mistakes were made, and as Director-General, I take full responsibility for them.”
The resignations came after a series of reports published by The Telegraph, which revealed that an internal document prepared by a BBC adviser uncovered “editorial violations” in several programs, including Panorama.
According to the document, the program had edited portions of a speech Trump delivered on January 6, 2021, in a way that made it appear as though the U.S. president was encouraging the storming of the Capitol.
The Telegraph accused the BBC of “misleading viewers,” calling the incident “a crisis of editorial standards within the corporation.”
The BBC has not yet issued a detailed statement on the outcome of its internal review, but sources within the organization indicated that an independent committee will investigate the incident and assess the editorial procedures involved.
