What happened at the BBC?
Asked 2 hours ago
Answer
The BBC Director General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness resigned after controversy over a documentary that misleadingly edited Donald Trump's January 6 speech, making it appear he incited violence. This followed a leaked report criticizing the edit as indefensible. The BBC also faced criticism for its coverage of Gaza and trans issues, intensifying scrutiny and prompting leadership changes.
Now Playing
BBC boss Tim Davie resigns after criticism over Trump speech edit
- Tim Davie resigned as BBC Director General after five years, citing ultimate responsibility for mistakes made during his tenure.
- A Panorama documentary edited Donald Trump's January 6 speech, leading to accusations that it misrepresented him as encouraging violence. 32s
- Donald Trump and a former BBC adviser accused the broadcaster of systemic bias and attempting to influence the US election. 49s
- The BBC's funding model and coverage of issues like Gaza have long attracted criticism from both political right and left. 1m 19s
- Davie and head of news Deborah Turness both resigned, making the BBC itself the focus of major news coverage. 1m 41s
References
A former BBC adviser accused the broadcaster of serious and systemic bias over this and other scandals; Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that BBC leaders, including Davie, were quitting or fired for 'doctoring' his 'perfect speech' and called them 'very dishonest people' trying to influence the election.
Resignations follow controversy over BBC documentary about Donald Trump and January 6th insurrection; documentary edited two parts of Trump's 2021 speech, over 50 minutes apart, to make it sound like he explicitly incited rioters.