The Newsroom

BBC Director General - George Entwistle -RESIGNS

News' Helen Boaden and Stephen Mitchell follow. (November 2012)

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IS
Inspector Sands
Markymark posted:
Well, yes Sky also implied it was their camera, which it seems it wasn't. Very odd

I think they do that with helicopter footage, which isn't always their helicopter!
IS
Inspector Sands
Worzel posted:
I'm surprised no one has criticised Mark Thompson in any from, he seems to have got off quite lightly.

There's been a lot written about him... in the New York Times
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/oct/30/mark-thompson-new-york-times-jimmy-savile

The Savile thing almost cost him his new job:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/oct/24/mark-thompson-jimmy-savile-new-york-times

Quote:
A lot of this stuff was going on while he was in post including the Savile Newsnight report being pulled. I know he's no longer at the BBC, but surely he is answerable in some form to the Culture, Media and Sport select committee?

He did offer: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/oct/23/jimmy-savile-scandal-mark-thompson
WO
Worzel
Excellent report from Mark Easton on tonight's 6pm News, I'll see if I can find a link or upload it.

Very indepth and explored all possible avenues on the saga.
WO
Worzel
Inspector Sands posted:
Worzel posted:
I'm surprised no one has criticised Mark Thompson in any from, he seems to have got off quite lightly.

There's been a lot written about him... in the New York Times
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/oct/30/mark-thompson-new-york-times-jimmy-savile

The Savile thing almost cost him his new job:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/oct/24/mark-thompson-jimmy-savile-new-york-times

Quote:
A lot of this stuff was going on while he was in post including the Savile Newsnight report being pulled. I know he's no longer at the BBC, but surely he is answerable in some form to the Culture, Media and Sport select committee?

He did offer: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/oct/23/jimmy-savile-scandal-mark-thompson


Quote:
Adding to his woes with his new employer, Thompson is now attempting to reconcile two apparently contradictory statements over what he knew about a TV report into Savile by the BBC's Newsnight programme. The report was pulled in December 2011, and the allegations of abuse were eventually aired earlier this month on rival network ITV.


I suppose that's quite a bold statement for the paper to make.

I do think (as stated in the final article) he does need to appear in front of the select committee as there's only a small number of answers George Entwistle can give, in his short time as DG.
GO
gottago
Breaking news banner on BBC News site says that George will be getting a full year's salary as part of a pay off deal. I wonder what the Mail's react will be to this.
SR
SomeRandomStuff
gottago posted:
Breaking news banner on BBC News site says that George will be getting a full year's salary as part of a pay off deal. I wonder what the Mail's react will be to this.


No doubt something intended to be a exclamation of their contempt for the BBC but which will come across as sour grapes and be damned hilarious.
BR
Brekkie
Well the Mail have run a completely inaccurate article about the Bureau of Investigative Journalism - so presumably they'll do their boss will do the honourable thing too - after checking the small print to check he'll still get paid.
MA
Markymark
Brekkie posted:
Although with any top job it is expected that the boss knows everything ultimately they can't - John Humphreys seems shocked that the DG might have a life outside work and not sit in watching every single broadcast just in case something happens.


There's no need for him to watch all BBC output 24/7 (although some in here seem to manage it Wink ) but for 450kpa he should have been on top of, in a broad sense, what the Beeb were doing day to day, and what other media were reporting about it, and that includes weekends and holidays I'm afraid.
SR
SomeRandomStuff
Markymark posted:
Brekkie posted:
Although with any top job it is expected that the boss knows everything ultimately they can't - John Humphreys seems shocked that the DG might have a life outside work and not sit in watching every single broadcast just in case something happens.


There's no need for him to watch all BBC output 24/7 (although some in here seem to manage it Wink ) but for 450kpa he should have been on top of, in a broad sense, what the Beeb were doing day to day, and what other media were reporting about it, and that includes weekends and holidays I'm afraid.


A manager is only as good as the staff who work for him/her. It seems the BBC is rotten to the core, there may have been nothing any DG could have done to prevent this, especially considering other media organisations get away scott free doing far worse than this.
MA
Markymark
SomeRandomStuff posted:
Markymark posted:
Brekkie posted:
Although with any top job it is expected that the boss knows everything ultimately they can't - John Humphreys seems shocked that the DG might have a life outside work and not sit in watching every single broadcast just in case something happens.


There's no need for him to watch all BBC output 24/7 (although some in here seem to manage it Wink ) but for 450kpa he should have been on top of, in a broad sense, what the Beeb were doing day to day, and what other media were reporting about it, and that includes weekends and holidays I'm afraid.


A manager is only as good as the staff who work for him/her. It seems the BBC is rotten to the core, there may have been nothing any DG could have done to prevent this, especially considering other media organisations get away scott free doing far worse than this.


That is very true, but actually he seemed to know less about the 'N Wales' Newsnight report, than anybody who had simply read key newspaper reports in the days following the broadcast. There is no excuse for that, and he only has himself to blame.

I agree, there does appear to be some utterly useless management that was below him (and of course still there).
DA
David
Markymark posted:
That is very true, but actually he seemed to know less about the 'N Wales' Newsnight report, than anybody who had simply read key newspaper reports in the days following the broadcast. There is no excuse for that, and he only has himself to blame.


I actually think a Director General who doesn't read newspapers is quite a refreshing idea.
CH
chris_rgu
Helen Boden and her deputy Steve Mitchell have resigned!!

EDIT: Nick Higham is saying that they have 'stepped aside' not resigned...think they are waiting on the mid morning statement
Last edited by chris_rgu on 12 November 2012 8:42am

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