London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – BBC to apologise over edited Trump speech, while UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy slams broadcaster, calling editorial choices “not always well thought through.”
As reported by The Independent, the BBC will issue an apology after controversy over its Panorama episode. A government minister described the broadcaster’s decisions as “not always well thought through.”
A leaked memo claims the broadcaster misled viewers by selectively editing US President Donald Trump’s remarks ahead of the 2021 Capitol riots.
The edited segment showed President Trump calling on supporters to “fight like hell” ahead of the 2021 Capitol riots, while omitting his call to act “peacefully and patriotically.”
What did the leaked memo reveal about the BBC’s Trump edit?
The leaked memo reads,
“It was completely misleading to edit the clip in the way Panorama aired it. The fact that he did not explicitly exhort supporters to go down and fight at Capitol Hill was one of the reasons there were no federal charges for incitement to riot.”
According to reports, the leaked memo was written by Michael Prescott, a former adviser to the BBC’s editorial guidelines and standards committee. He stepped down earlier this year and has not publicly commented on the leak.
In response to Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee, BBC chairman Samir Shah will apologise on Monday over the editing decision, with the committee saying there are “serious questions to answer.”
A BBC spokesperson added,
“The BBC chairman will provide a full response to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Monday.”
Previously, the BBC spokesperson said,
“While we don’t comment on leaked documents, when the BBC receives feedback it takes it seriously and considers it carefully.”
They added,
“Michael Prescott is a former adviser to a board committee where differing views and opinions of our coverage are routinely discussed and debated.”
What did Lisa Nandy say about BBC editorial decisions?
During an interview, when questioned about the controversy, Lisa Nandy said BBC editorial decisions are “not always well thought through,” adding that she has held “far more conversations than I would like” with senior leadership since Labour took office.
Ms Nandy said,
“I’ve had countless conversations with the senior leadership… too many to name, and far more than I would like, over the last 15 months since we were elected.”
The culture secretary added,
“Decisions about editorial standards, editorial guidelines, the sort of language that is used in reporting is entirely inconsistent. It doesn’t always meet the highest standards. It’s not always well thought through, and often it’s left to individual journalists or news readers to make decisions.”
She also stated that the broadcaster is not
“operating in a news media environment where news and fact is often blurred with polemic and opinion, and I think that is creating a very, very dangerous environment in this country where people can’t trust what they see.”
Ms Nandy continued,
“I was very disappointed recently that Ofcom decided not to proceed with proposals to take action on politicians presenting the news. I am looking, as the culture secretary at what we can do as a government to deal with this.”
What did Dame Caroline Dinenage say about BBC reporting standards?
Dame Caroline Dinenage, who is head of the culture committee, wrote in the letter to the BBC requesting an answer,
“The corporation must set the benchmark for accurate and fair reporting, especially in a media landscape where it is all too easy to find news presented in a less than impartial way.”
She added,
“The committee needs to be reassured that those at the very top of the BBC are treating these issues with the seriousness they deserve and taking decisive steps to uphold the corporation’s reputation for integrity and public trust.”
What did Karoline Leavitt say about the BBC?
Donald Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, called the BBC “100% fake news” and a “propaganda machine” following allegations of bias at the broadcaster.
She said BBC bulletins “ruin” her day while in the UK, claiming taxpayers are being “forced to foot the bill for a leftist propaganda machine.”
Ms Leavitt stated,
“This purposefully dishonest, selectively edited clip by the BBC is further evidence that they are total, 100% fake news that should no longer be worth the time on the television screens of the great people of the United Kingdom.”
She added,
“Every time I travel to the United Kingdom with President Trump and am forced to watch the BBC in our hotel rooms, it ruins my day listening to their blatant propaganda and lies about the president of the United States and all that he’s doing to make America better and the world a safer place.”
What happened during the 2021 Capitol riots?
The riots occurred on January 6, 2021, when a mob of supporters of President Donald Trump attacked the United States Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
The event involved a violent breach of the Capitol, where rioters, including militia groups like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, overwhelmed police, leading to extensive damage and injuries to 174 officers.