BBC doesn't believe in leaked Michael Prescott The memo that led to the firing of the CEO and news director came from one of her employees.
Chairman of the BBC Samir Shah revealed the news in an “update on our investigation into the leaks” in a letter to today's culture committee chair Caroline Dinenage. “We have completed an extensive electronic search and analysis regarding Prescott's note“,” Shah wrote. “These searches do not suggest that the leak to The Telegraph originated from the BBC.”
Shah appeared to choose his language carefully and did not say that the leak clearly occurred outside the corporation. Appearing before the same committee two weeks ago, Prescott was forced to deny several times that he had given the memo to reporters. Telegraphalthough he noted that he had sent a note to the British regulator Ofcom and the British Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
Prescott's memo included selective examples of the BBC's alleged editorial errors, including the now infamous Donald Trump Panorama merging, which served as a catalyst for the resignation of the CEO Tim Davy and the news boss Deborah Turness. Trump now threatening to sue the BBC for at least $1 billion over the splice, which made it appear as if he incited protesters to riot at the Capitol on January 6th.
Shah was responding to 18 questions sent to him by Dinenage following his appearance before the committee as the BBC faces one of its biggest crises in years.
Shumit Banerjee's trip to Antarctica
Another recent BBC resignation was that of board member Shumit Banerjee, who abruptly resigned after saying he was “not consulted” about the events leading to the departure of Davy and Turness.
Today, Shah denied this, saying that on the afternoon of his resignation, he sent an email to all board members warning them to convene the board. Following the email, Shah said, “Mr. Banerjee's office advised that the call on Saturday was logistically difficult because he was in Antarctica.”
Whether Banerjee's resignation letter was the subject of the leak to BBC News that led to the story does not require much investigation, Shah added, given that Banerjee himself “provided a copy of his letter to BBC News.” His term was due to end at the end of this year, despite his resignation.
“Built with Trump supporters in mind”
Most of Shah's responses to Dinenagh were related to events. covered during his recent Culure Committee meetingincluding when he spoke to Davy and Turness about their impending retirement that fateful weekend a month ago.
Meanwhile, the BBC today published a quick response from editorial complaints director Peter Johnston to some of Prescott's complaints.
Regarding Trump, Johnston said BBC News “disagrees with the assertion that Panorama was anti-Trump,” pointing out that they believed the program was “built with Trump supporters, including his superfans Jos of Front Row, who appeared 12 and 15 times, respectively.”[BBC News] They also explained why due impartiality does not require an equivalent program for [Kamala] Harris also described some other findings from current events that were not included in the original draft. [Prescott] volume.”
Even though his note caused the massacre, Prescott previously said he doesn't believe Trump was harmed Panorama.
Johnston is currently compiling a more detailed review, which will also be published. A new BBC director general and news chief is likely to be appointed by early next year.
