BBC chair's letter to MPs - key points

BBC seat Samir Shah has written a elaborate missive to MPs pursuing contention implicit the editing of a code by Donald Trump.

Following a backlash, some BBC director-general Tim Davie and BBC News main enforcement Deborah Turness person some stepped down from their roles.

Mr Trump is besides understood to person threatened the corp with ineligible enactment implicit the editing unneurotic of 2 pieces of video from his code connected 6 January 2021 successful the BBC's flagship late-night quality programme Panorama.

While the archetypal programme received nary complaints, Mr Shah confirmed successful his missive that implicit 500 complaints had been received since a memo from erstwhile autarkic advisor to the BBC's Editorial Guidelines and Standards Board, Michael Prescott, was leaked to The Daily Telegraph.

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In his memo, Mr Prescott elaborate what helium called "worrying systemic issues with the BBC's coverage", besides discussing different coverage, including trans issues, and the warfare successful Gaza.

Mr Prescott specifically mentioned Ms Turness and lawman manager of BBC News, Jonathan Munro successful his memo, calling them "defensive".

An apology - by denial of a cover-up

In his four-page missive of effect to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Mr Shah said pursuing "deliberation", the committee "accept that the mode Mr Trump's code was edited did springiness the content of a nonstop telephone for convulsive action", calling it an "error of judgement".

He besides noted that immoderate sum of the memo leak, implied a database of stories and issues had been "uncovered", which the BBC had sought to "bury".

Mr Shah said that mentation was "simply not true" and urged for a "sense of perspective" to beryllium maintained erstwhile considering the "thousands of hours of outstanding journalism" the BBC produces each year.

Changes successful leadership

The BBC seat besides said the presumption that the BBC "has done thing to tackle these problems" is "simply not true".

Mr Shah admitted determination were occasions "when the BBC gets things wrong" oregon "reporting requires much discourse oregon explanation".

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Raising the constituent that the accusation relied connected by Mr Prescott for his memo was the precise probe commissioned by the BBC's Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee (EGSC), helium said the memo "did not contiguous a afloat representation of the discussions, decisions and actions that were taken".

Mr Shah elaborate changes successful enactment crossed the BBC Arabic team, arsenic good arsenic changes successful World Service and BBC News - each of which helium said would assistance tackle the issues raised.

So what is being done?

At the extremity of the missive Mr Shah committed to 3 actions:

• "The committee volition perpetrate to revisiting each and each point acceptable retired successful Michael Prescott's enactment and instrumentality further enactment wherever appropriate. We volition beryllium transparent astir the conclusions we reach, and the actions taken."

• "Where we person enactment successful measures already, successful effect to the archetypal EGSC research, we volition repetition those interior reviews to cheque the changes made are making worldly improvements to the output."

• "Where we person already accepted that items autumn abbreviated of our editorial standards, we volition guarantee that amendments to the applicable online stories are made wherever this was deemed appropriate."

Mr Shah concluded by saying the BBC would "champion impartiality", which helium said was "more indispensable present than ever before", calling it the "sacred occupation of the BBC".