The chief of the BBC and the top news executive at the British broadcaster stepped down on Sunday following backlash over the editing of a speech by U.S. President Donald Trump. Tim Davie, the director-general, and Deborah Turness, the head of news, tendered their resignations on the same day.
The BBC received criticism for its handling of Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021, before the Capitol riot in Washington. Critics contended that the editing of the speech in a BBC documentary was misleading as it omitted Trump’s call for peaceful demonstrations by his supporters.
In a letter to staff, Davie stated that his decision to resign after five years was entirely his own. He mentioned working with the Board to ensure a smooth transition to a successor in the upcoming months. Turness, expressing her love for the BBC as an institution, acknowledged that the controversy surrounding the Trump documentary had reached a damaging point. She emphasized her accountability as the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs.
Upon her arrival at the BBC headquarters in London, Turness defended the integrity of the organization’s journalists, asserting their dedication to impartiality. Trump reacted to the situation by sharing a Daily Telegraph article on his Truth Social platform, condemning the “dishonest” journalists who he accused of influencing the presidential election.
The pressure on the BBC’s leadership intensified with the publication of a dossier by Michael Prescott, highlighting concerns beyond the Trump edit, including coverage of transgender issues and perceived bias in the BBC’s Arabic service. The BBC, being publicly funded through an annual license fee, faces heightened scrutiny compared to commercial broadcasters.
While the BBC offers diverse entertainment and sports content across various platforms, its news division is often the subject of scrutiny. Mandated to maintain impartiality, the BBC faces criticism from both ends of the political spectrum. The broadcaster’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict was also subject to widespread criticism.
Political figures such as Kemi Badenoch and Lisa Nandy weighed in on the BBC’s situation, calling for reforms and emphasizing the importance of trusted news sources in democratic societies. Nandy expressed the government’s commitment to supporting the BBC’s enduring role in national and global media landscapes.