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BBC executive suspensions likely BBC boss backed in phone scandal
(about 3 hours later)
Some BBC executives are likely to be suspended while reviews are held into fake phone-ins unearthed by an inquiry. BBC director general Mark Thompson has been given a vote of confidence by the corporation's Trust after a fresh batch of faked competitions were unearthed.
Serious editorial breaches were found in six shows - including Comic Relief - and the BBC has suspended all its TV and radio phone-related competitions. Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons said Mr Thompson was "the right person to lead change", adding he was "confident that he will do it".
Director general Mark Thompson has outlined a "zero tolerance" approach to future lapses in editorial judgement. But he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme they would "suspend judgement until we have seen improvement".
ITV executive chairman Michael Grade said there was an "epidemic" in broadcasting beyond just the BBC. Serious editorial breaches were found in six shows, including Comic Relief.
Chairman of the BBC Trust Sir Michael Lyons gave his backing to Mr Thompson, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he was "the right person to lead change". Sir Michael warned that the Trust, which oversees the BBC's activities and represents licence fee payers, would be "watching very carefully" to ensure the correct sanctions were applied.
'Deeply concerned'
"He has responded to these very serious problems with energy," he said. "We are backing the director general to do this, but suspend judgement until we have seen improvement.
"He has our support to do the job that needs to be done, and we are confident he will do it," he added.
Sir Michael warned that the Trust would be "watching very carefully" to ensure the correct sanctions were applied.
"We will come back in a year's time to make sure the BBC is a different place to the one it is today," he added."We will come back in a year's time to make sure the BBC is a different place to the one it is today," he added.
Director general Mark Thompson said he would not resign The faked BBC phone-ins class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6905158.stm">Key points: Thompson speech class="" href="/1/hi/entertainment/6905213.stm">BBC phone-ins: Q&A Comic Relief was one programme which breached standards The faked BBC phone-ins Some BBC executives are likely to be suspended while reviews are held into how mistakes were made.
Broadcasting union Bectu has warned that junior production staff should not become targets in the inquiry.
General secretary Gerry Morrissey said: "This situation is of senior management's making. We will strongly defend any of our members who are disciplined because the problem lies at the top."
Mr Thompson has outlined a "zero tolerance" approach to future lapses in editorial judgement.
BBC One's Sports Relief in July 2006, Comic Relief in March 2007, Children In Need on BBC Scotland in November 2005, The Liz Kershaw Show on BBC 6 Music and CBBC programme TMi were all found to have breached editorial standards.BBC One's Sports Relief in July 2006, Comic Relief in March 2007, Children In Need on BBC Scotland in November 2005, The Liz Kershaw Show on BBC 6 Music and CBBC programme TMi were all found to have breached editorial standards.
All phone-related competitions on BBC TV and radio ceased from midnight on Wednesday, while interactive and online competitions will be taken down as soon as possible.All phone-related competitions on BBC TV and radio ceased from midnight on Wednesday, while interactive and online competitions will be taken down as soon as possible.
Mr Thompson has also ordered an independent inquiry into footage that wrongly implied the Queen walked out of a photo session. NEW BBC MEASURES All competitions suspendedAll staff to be trained on safeguarding trustIndependent inquiry into the Queen documentaryCommissioning from the Queen documentary production company RDF "paused"Some editorial leaders asked to "stand back" from their dutiesContracts with staff and suppliers revised to emphasise editorial standardsPromotional materials must meet the same standards class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6863&edition=1&ttl=20070718151032">Have your say on TV phone-ins Mr Thompson has also ordered an independent inquiry into footage that wrongly implied the Queen walked out of a photo session.
The BBC Trust said it was "deeply concerned that significant failures of control and compliance within the BBC have compromised the BBC's values of accuracy and honesty".The BBC Trust said it was "deeply concerned that significant failures of control and compliance within the BBC have compromised the BBC's values of accuracy and honesty".
Other measures outlined in Mr Thompson's action plan include mandatory training for 16,500 staff.Other measures outlined in Mr Thompson's action plan include mandatory training for 16,500 staff.
But he denied that the issue of resignation had arisen at his meeting with the BBC Trust.But he denied that the issue of resignation had arisen at his meeting with the BBC Trust.
He said: "We are all utterly determined to do everything we can to fix this problem."He said: "We are all utterly determined to do everything we can to fix this problem."
He has also called for a workshop involving other broadcasters to discuss issues surrounding editorial standards and training.He has also called for a workshop involving other broadcasters to discuss issues surrounding editorial standards and training.
NEW BBC MEASURES All competitions suspendedAll staff to be trained on safeguarding trustIndependent inquiry into the Queen documentaryCommissioning from the Queen documentary production company RDF "paused"Some editorial leaders asked to "stand back" from their dutiesContracts with staff and suppliers revised to emphasise editorial standardsPromotional materials must meet the same standards class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6863&edition=1&ttl=20070718151032">Have your say on TV phone-ins ITV's Michael Grade, a former chairman of the BBC, told BBC Two's Newsnight that every broadcaster in the UK was affected, saying there was an "epidemic" in broadcasting beyond just the BBC.
ITV's Michael Grade, himself a former chairman of the BBC, told BBC2's Newsnight that every broadcaster in the UK was affected.
He said: "It's partly to do with casualisation of the industry, people on short-term contracts under tremendous strain, tremendous pressure. Competitive pressure is enormous."He said: "It's partly to do with casualisation of the industry, people on short-term contracts under tremendous strain, tremendous pressure. Competitive pressure is enormous."
Earlier on Wednesday, a report by media regulator Ofcom said there had been a "systemic failure" in the way TV channels had run premium rate phone services.
An inquiry found that broadcasters were "in denial" about their responsibilities to viewers and saw phone-ins as a way to generate revenue.
Last week Ofcom fined the BBC £50,000 after the children's programme Blue Peter falsified the results of a phone-in competition during a live show.
The BBC also had to apologise over the clips from a documentary about the Royal Family that implied the Queen had walked out of a portrait session with a photographer.
The programme's makers, RDF Media, subsequently admitted that it was "guilty of a serious error of judgement".