The chairman of the BBC has issued a formal apology to former US President Donald Trump following allegations that the corporation misleadingly edited footage of one of his speeches for a Panorama documentary.
Apology for "Error of Judgment"
BBC chair Samir Shah stated the corporation wished to "apologise for that error of judgment" regarding the editing of President Trump's speech. The apology comes after accusations that the broadcaster misled viewers through selective editing in the documentary titled Trump: A Second Chance?
Shah acknowledged that the editing approach created the impression of a direct call for violent action, though he clarified the intention was to help Panorama's audience understand how the speech was received by Trump's supporters and the context of events at the time.
Delayed Response and Committee Criticism
The matter was initially addressed as part of a broader review of the BBC's US election coverage rather than as a specific programme complaint. Shah explained this was because the documentary had attracted limited audience feedback and aired before the US election, so the issue wasn't pursued further at that time.
Dame Caroline Dinenage, chairwoman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, criticised former BBC director general Tim Davie for allegedly ignoring concerns about the Panorama documentary. She expressed sadness about Davie's resignation, calling him an "effective leader" and "great champion for public service media," but noted he was "very slow to act on this particular issue."
Dinenage stated on BBC Radio 4 that Davie "just ignored" the concerns raised in Michael Prescott's report until it was too late, describing the situation as "entirely avoidable."
Broader Context and Trust in Broadcasting
Veterans minister Louise Sandher-Jones commented on the BBC's overall trustworthiness, noting that despite controversies, many people still rely on the broadcaster for information across domestic, local and international issues.
She observed that while viewers might find some content aligns with their views while other elements don't, this diversity of perspective is appropriate for public service broadcasting.
Shah concluded that with hindsight, more formal action should have been taken regarding the editing decision, and the points raised in the review were subsequently relayed to the Panorama team.
