BBC director and news CEO resigns

Recently questions started being raised on a BBC documentary. It was claimed that the Panorama documentary misled the audience by editing the speech of US President Donald Trump. After this, BBC Director General Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turnes have resigned.

Both announced their resignations in separate emails sent to all BBC staff at 6pm. BBC Chairman Samir Shah has also issued a statement on this.

What did director Tim Davy say?

Director General Tim Davie said, I want to tell you that I have decided to leave the BBC after 20 years. This is entirely my own decision and I am grateful to the Chair and the Board who have consistently supported me throughout my tenure — including in recent times.

I am working with the Board to determine how to make a transition to hand over responsibility to my successor in the coming months. Overall the BBC is doing a good job, but some mistakes have been made, and as Director General, the ultimate responsibility for this lies with me.

The director added: “I have been part of the BBC for a long time – over the last 20 years I have worked across the organization as Marketing, Communications and Audience Director, Audio and Music Director, Acting Director General and CEO of BBC Studios.

News What did the CEO say?

News CEO Deborah Turnes has also announced her resignation. Announcing his resignation, he said, I have never felt more proud of the work you do every day. You are truly the best of the best.

I have taken the difficult decision that it will no longer be possible for me to lead you all in furthering the search for truth. The controversy surrounding the Panorama documentary on President Trump has reached such a level where it is damaging the BBC – the institution I love so much.

As CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, I have the ultimate responsibility, which is why I decided last night to submit my resignation to the Director General.

Leaders must be fully accountable, and that is why I am stepping down. Although some mistakes have been made, I want to make it absolutely clear that the recent allegations that BBC News is institutionally biased are false.

Chairman Saimir Shah’s statement came out

BBC Chair Samir Shah said, I am writing to you all on a very difficult day. Today the news has come that our Director General Tim Davey is resigning. News CEO Deborah Turnes has also stepped down.

On behalf of the BBC Board, I would like to express our heartfelt thanks to both of them for their loyalty, hard work and dedication to the BBC. It’s a sad day for the BBC. Tim has been an excellent Director General for the last 5 years.

I and the board have always had his full support and trust. But I understand that there has been constant pressure on him, both personal and professional, due to which he took this decision today. Tim has given 20 years of his life to BBC. Under his leadership the BBC has achieved much – especially as the BBC adapts to the challenges of a rapidly changing world and increasing competition.

I would also like to thank Deborah, who has led BBC News for the last three years. He worked with true dedication to bring change in the entire news department.

What is the Trump connection?

BBC Director General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turneys have resigned. The move comes after criticism that the BBC’s *Panorama* documentary misled viewers by editing Donald Trump’s speech.

Tim Davie, who has been in the post for the last five years, has been facing several controversies and allegations of bias in recent months, which has increased the pressure on him.

The Telegraph newspaper on Monday revealed a leaked internal BBC memo, which claimed that the Panorama program combined two parts of the US President’s speech to make it appear as if Trump had instigated the Capitol Hill riot on January 6, 2021.

What was the controversy regarding the speech?

The memo, published by The Telegraph, also raised concerns that no action was taken on complaints of systematic bias in the BBC Arabic Service’s Israel-Gaza war coverage.

In his speech in Washington DC on January 6, 2021, Trump said: We will go to the Capitol and cheer on our brave senators, congressmen and women.

But in an edited version of Panorama it appeared this way: We’ll walk to the Capitol… and I’ll be there with you. And we will fight. We will fight tooth and nail.

In fact, these two parts were spoken about 50 minutes apart in the original speech. After the internal memo became public, criticism of the BBC intensified, with even the White House calling the BBC 100% fake news.

Trump’s reaction came to light

Trump responded to the resignations on Sunday by saying that top BBC executives are resigning or being fired because they were caught distorting my January 6 speech. He wrote: These are very dishonest people who tried to influence the presidential election. This is a terrible thing for democracy!