BBC chairman Samir Shah issued a formal apology after acknowledging that the Panorama documentary edited a speech by former US president Donald Trump in a way that “created the impression of a direct call for violent action”. Controversy grew following the publication of an internal report criticizing the BBC’s coverage of the 2024 US election and the programme’s handling of recordings.
What led to the BBC apology?
The issue came to light after The Daily Telegraph published a memo written by former aide Michael Prescott that claimed Panorama edited two separate parts of Trump’s speech together, creating the impression that Donald Trump was directly exhorting supporters to the Capitol during the January 6, 2021 riots.
Read also | Trump calls out former BBC chief Tim Davie for “editing” his January 6 speech.
In a letter to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Samir Shah acknowledged the concerns and the BBC’s response to them.
The edit, written by Samir Shah and quoted by the BBC, was to “convey the message of President Trump’s speech to give the Panorama audience a better understanding of how it was received by President Trump’s supporters and what was happening on the ground at the time”.
However, Samir Shah added that the issue was dealt with internally as part of a wider review of US election coverage, rather than being treated as a formal editorial complaint at the time, as it “did not attract significant audience feedback and was broadcast before the US election, so the point was not pursued further at the time”, the BBC said.
Did the BBC admit the editing was misleading?
Samir Shah confirmed that the BBC has now accepted that the edit changed the perceived meaning of Donald Trump’s words.
“The conclusion of this consideration is that we accept that the way the speech was edited gave the impression of a direct call for violent action. The BBC would like to apologize for this error of judgement.”
Read also | BBC apologizes for edited Donald Trump speech amid growing backlash
The BBC chairman said more than 500 complaints had been received since the publication of the Prescott memo and were currently being processed through standard procedures.
According to BBC Live, Samir Shah added: “With hindsight, it would be better to take more formal action.”
How did BBC management respond?
The fallout was rapid. BBC director-general Tim Davie and BBC News chief executive Deborah Turnes resigned on Sunday night.
Speaking outside Broadcasting House, Turness rejected allegations of political bias:
“I would like to make one thing clear – BBC News is not institutionally biased.”
The memo that prompted the resignations not only highlighted Trump’s editing but criticized wider editorial standards, with Prescott writing that he had acted “in despair at the inaction of the BBC executive”.
Who is BBC Chairman Samir Shah?
Samir Shah became Chairman of the BBC on 4 March 2024 on a four-year appointment by the UK Government. He has worked in broadcasting for more than four decades, previously serving as head of current affairs and politics at the BBC and leading independent production company Juniper.
Read also | The White House supports the idea of Trump’s stadium for commanders
As chairman of the BBC, Shah is responsible for safeguarding the BBC’s editorial independence, ensuring consistency with its public mission and overseeing the governance of the board.
A role requiring at least three days a week is paid £160,000 a year.
