Post by Teddy Bear on Dec 12, 2012 22:56:31 GMT
The criticism described in the article and based on the story is one we here observe continually, and are frustrated by. It is part of what we detest about the BBC, besides its propaganda. It shows the contempt the BBC truly has for its customer, in more ways than one.
'Culture of denial' operating at top of BBC, says Royal Television Society chief
A 'culture of denial' at the top of BBC News resulted in a three-month wait for an apology to be issued after a single mother was wrongly labelled as unemployed and dependent on benefits, the outgoing head of the Royal Television Society said.
By Alice Philipson
Simon Albury, speaking at his retirement dinner, criticised Newsnight's treatment of Shanene Thorpe, who was interviewed for a report on housing benefit.
The outgoing chief executive said the BBC showed "an unwillingness to address things that are manifestly wrong".
Ms Thorpe called for a public apology from Newsnight after she was wrongly portrayed as unemployed and dependent on benefits.
However, despite amassing 20,000 signatures for a petition calling on the programme to apologise, former Newsnight editor Peter Rippon delayed the launch of an investigation.
Mr Rippon said in an email to Mr Albury seen by The Times: “We are aware she has started a petition and we are sorry if she is unhappy. When we actually get the complaint we will investigate and respond.”
Ms Thorpe received an apology from the BBC after she sent a formal complaint on May 31 but it was not until August 30 that the report was publicly corrected.
Mr Albury, a former producer for the BBC, said it was clear basic journalistic errors had been made and that the BBC should not have waited for a formal complaint.
He said: “The whole top chain of command from the Newsnight Editor up gets a petition from 20,000 people raising a serious issue of misrepresentation — and the BBC doesn’t plan to investigate because it hasn’t received a formal complaint.
"Even in the BBC bubble you would have thought someone would have sounded a warning bell. There seems to be a culture of denial at the top of BBC News and Current Affairs and an unwillingness to address things that are manifestly wrong.
“If this happened to this young woman who was sufficiently articulate to protest, how many times has it happened to others who have no power and have no influence — and no skills to organise a web petition?”
Mr Albury said following the incident standards should have been raised, which would have prevented Newsnight wrongly implicating Lord McAlpine in a child abuse scandal in November.
A BBC spokesman said: "Newsnight contacted Shanene Thorpe when we became aware of the petition. An apology was made personally to Shanene and published on the programme's website and the BBC complaints website on 1st June, a week after the interview was broadcast.
"Shanene then decided to lodge an official complaint to the BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit. Following their ruling in August, a correction and apology was made on-air."
A 'culture of denial' at the top of BBC News resulted in a three-month wait for an apology to be issued after a single mother was wrongly labelled as unemployed and dependent on benefits, the outgoing head of the Royal Television Society said.
By Alice Philipson
Simon Albury, speaking at his retirement dinner, criticised Newsnight's treatment of Shanene Thorpe, who was interviewed for a report on housing benefit.
The outgoing chief executive said the BBC showed "an unwillingness to address things that are manifestly wrong".
Ms Thorpe called for a public apology from Newsnight after she was wrongly portrayed as unemployed and dependent on benefits.
However, despite amassing 20,000 signatures for a petition calling on the programme to apologise, former Newsnight editor Peter Rippon delayed the launch of an investigation.
Mr Rippon said in an email to Mr Albury seen by The Times: “We are aware she has started a petition and we are sorry if she is unhappy. When we actually get the complaint we will investigate and respond.”
Ms Thorpe received an apology from the BBC after she sent a formal complaint on May 31 but it was not until August 30 that the report was publicly corrected.
Mr Albury, a former producer for the BBC, said it was clear basic journalistic errors had been made and that the BBC should not have waited for a formal complaint.
He said: “The whole top chain of command from the Newsnight Editor up gets a petition from 20,000 people raising a serious issue of misrepresentation — and the BBC doesn’t plan to investigate because it hasn’t received a formal complaint.
"Even in the BBC bubble you would have thought someone would have sounded a warning bell. There seems to be a culture of denial at the top of BBC News and Current Affairs and an unwillingness to address things that are manifestly wrong.
“If this happened to this young woman who was sufficiently articulate to protest, how many times has it happened to others who have no power and have no influence — and no skills to organise a web petition?”
Mr Albury said following the incident standards should have been raised, which would have prevented Newsnight wrongly implicating Lord McAlpine in a child abuse scandal in November.
A BBC spokesman said: "Newsnight contacted Shanene Thorpe when we became aware of the petition. An apology was made personally to Shanene and published on the programme's website and the BBC complaints website on 1st June, a week after the interview was broadcast.
"Shanene then decided to lodge an official complaint to the BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit. Following their ruling in August, a correction and apology was made on-air."