BBC on the back foot

The Daily Telegraph ^ | September 18, 2003

[Timesink]

BBC on the back foot
(Filed: 18/09/2003)

From a journalistic point of view, it is difficult not to pity the BBC news managers. They are caught in an editorial nightmare. Having backed their correspondent Andrew Gilligan at the highest level, they now find his credibility and theirs unravelling in the full gaze of a public inquiry. Yesterday, Gilligan was seen to retreat on some of the most fundamental points of his contentious story.

He was bound to accept a series of criticisms from Jonathan Sumption QC, acting for the Government, of the wording of his reports, his procedures in keeping notes and interpreting his source's information, and the appropriateness of his behaviour in identifying Dr David Kelly as the source of Susan Watts's report to members of the foreign affairs committee.

Lord Hutton heard the BBC journalist agree that he had been mistaken in attributing directly to his source (Dr Kelly) what was effectively his own interpretation of the source's views. He agreed that this had given a false impression that someone described as a senior intelligence source had accused the Government of "ordering" the Iraq dossier to be "sexed up".

It was not only Gilligan who was forced on to the defensive. Richard Sambrook, the head of BBC news and current affairs, was pressed for an account of the editorial process under which Gilligan was supervised. Why had no legal advice been sought? And no further corroboration of the story?

BBC executives were clearly convinced that - in broad terms - they were on to a genuine story, but they chose unwisely (and unprofessionally) to defend the Gilligan rendition of it in implacable detail. The corporation and its governors will have to answer for that misjudgment.

[Bonaparte]

Kinda reminds me of another liar on this side of the pond, who was backed up by his entire cabinet -- just before a stained blue dress turned up.

[Timesink]

afternoon bump