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| LONDON — A scandal scarring the BBC’s reputation for probity widened Monday as the corporation announced that the editor of a flagship news program was “stepping aside” after giving an “inaccurate or incomplete” account of why he abandoned an investigation into Sir Jimmy Savile, a high-profile television personality accused of sexually abusing some 200 girls over a career that spanned decades. | LONDON — A scandal scarring the BBC’s reputation for probity widened Monday as the corporation announced that the editor of a flagship news program was “stepping aside” after giving an “inaccurate or incomplete” account of why he abandoned an investigation into Sir Jimmy Savile, a high-profile television personality accused of sexually abusing some 200 girls over a career that spanned decades. |
| The editor, Peter Rippon, head of the often hard-hitting “Newsnight” program, was the first and most senior BBC News executive to face public censure in the scandal. The BBC, a public broadcaster financed by compulsory license fees from viewers, said he would remain absent while an inquiry is held. The announcement came only hours before a BBC investigative program, “Panorama,” planned to broadcast its own examination of Mr. Rippon’s decision last December to drop the inquiry into Mr. Savile, a prominent disc jockey, television host and showman known also for his philanthropy, who died last year at 84. | The editor, Peter Rippon, head of the often hard-hitting “Newsnight” program, was the first and most senior BBC News executive to face public censure in the scandal. The BBC, a public broadcaster financed by compulsory license fees from viewers, said he would remain absent while an inquiry is held. The announcement came only hours before a BBC investigative program, “Panorama,” planned to broadcast its own examination of Mr. Rippon’s decision last December to drop the inquiry into Mr. Savile, a prominent disc jockey, television host and showman known also for his philanthropy, who died last year at 84. |
| Known for smoking long cigars and wearing his peroxide blond hair at collar length, Mr. Savile was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and regarded by some as a national treasure — until the scandal broke this month, with a documentary of the accusations broadcast this month on a rival channel, ITV. As a result, several inquiries have been begun by the BBC, Parliament and the police. | Known for smoking long cigars and wearing his peroxide blond hair at collar length, Mr. Savile was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and regarded by some as a national treasure — until the scandal broke this month, with a documentary of the accusations broadcast this month on a rival channel, ITV. As a result, several inquiries have been begun by the BBC, Parliament and the police. |
| He is accused of abusing teenage girls in hospitals and children’s homes and on BBC premises. The police said Friday that more than 200 “potential victims” had come forward, more than tripling the number of suspected cases. | He is accused of abusing teenage girls in hospitals and children’s homes and on BBC premises. The police said Friday that more than 200 “potential victims” had come forward, more than tripling the number of suspected cases. |
| In a statement on Monday, the BBC said that Mr. Rippon’s explanation that the “Newsnight” segment on Mr. Savile was dropped purely for editorial reasons was “inaccurate or incomplete in some respects.” | In a statement on Monday, the BBC said that Mr. Rippon’s explanation that the “Newsnight” segment on Mr. Savile was dropped purely for editorial reasons was “inaccurate or incomplete in some respects.” |
| “The BBC regrets these errors,” the statement said. | “The BBC regrets these errors,” the statement said. |
| “In addition, the BBC has announced that Peter Rippon is stepping aside with immediate effect from his post while the review by Nick Pollard, the former head of Sky News, into the management of Newsnight’s investigation is carried out,” the statement said. It did not explain whether Mr. Rippon had been ordered or had volunteered to step aside. | “In addition, the BBC has announced that Peter Rippon is stepping aside with immediate effect from his post while the review by Nick Pollard, the former head of Sky News, into the management of Newsnight’s investigation is carried out,” the statement said. It did not explain whether Mr. Rippon had been ordered or had volunteered to step aside. |
| Much of the scandal revolves around events at the Duncroft School for emotionally disturbed teenage girls. The school, located in an 18th-century manor house near Staines in Surrey, has since been closed. | Much of the scandal revolves around events at the Duncroft School for emotionally disturbed teenage girls. The school, located in an 18th-century manor house near Staines in Surrey, has since been closed. |
| “Panorama” said in a statement that its broadcast on Monday would quote “Newsnight” journalists as saying that they had worked on the investigation of Mr. Savile for a month and that they were close to a proposed broadcast date when their editor told them to stop. “Yet just days earlier when they’d confirmed for the first time that the police had investigated allegations of child sex abuse by Savile back in 2007, Newsnight Editor Peter Rippon had responded enthusiastically by e-mail,” the statement said. | “Panorama” said in a statement that its broadcast on Monday would quote “Newsnight” journalists as saying that they had worked on the investigation of Mr. Savile for a month and that they were close to a proposed broadcast date when their editor told them to stop. “Yet just days earlier when they’d confirmed for the first time that the police had investigated allegations of child sex abuse by Savile back in 2007, Newsnight Editor Peter Rippon had responded enthusiastically by e-mail,” the statement said. |
| “They had already filmed an interview in mid-November 2011 with a key witness, Karin Ward, who alleged that she had been sexually abused by Jimmy Savile during her time at Duncroft,” the statement said, adding that “Karin Ward has agreed that ‘Panorama’ can broadcast clips from that interview for the first time. | “They had already filmed an interview in mid-November 2011 with a key witness, Karin Ward, who alleged that she had been sexually abused by Jimmy Savile during her time at Duncroft,” the statement said, adding that “Karin Ward has agreed that ‘Panorama’ can broadcast clips from that interview for the first time. |
| “By the 29th November 2011, the journalists had prepared a script containing transcribed clips from Karin Ward which they sent to Peter Rippon. The script referred to another star behaving inappropriately with an underage girl in the BBC’s dressing rooms. It quoted three other unnamed former Duncroft pupils who said they, too, had been sexually abused by Savile. The script also included a report of sexual abuse of a teenager at Stoke Mandeville hospital.” | “By the 29th November 2011, the journalists had prepared a script containing transcribed clips from Karin Ward which they sent to Peter Rippon. The script referred to another star behaving inappropriately with an underage girl in the BBC’s dressing rooms. It quoted three other unnamed former Duncroft pupils who said they, too, had been sexually abused by Savile. The script also included a report of sexual abuse of a teenager at Stoke Mandeville hospital.” |
| The “Panorama” statement said the program would quote from e-mails and interviews with “Newsnight” reporters, including one, Liz MacKean, who was quoted as saying: “I was very unhappy the story didn’t run, because I felt we’d spoken to people who collectively deserved to be heard, and they weren’t heard, and I thought that was a failing. I felt very much that I’d let them down.” | The “Panorama” statement said the program would quote from e-mails and interviews with “Newsnight” reporters, including one, Liz MacKean, who was quoted as saying: “I was very unhappy the story didn’t run, because I felt we’d spoken to people who collectively deserved to be heard, and they weren’t heard, and I thought that was a failing. I felt very much that I’d let them down.” |
| Referring to Mr. Rippon’s attitude toward the story, Ms. McKean said: “All I can say is that it was an abrupt change in tone from, you know, one day, ‘Excellent, let’s prepare to get this thing on air’ to ‘Hold on.’ ” | Referring to Mr. Rippon’s attitude toward the story, Ms. McKean said: “All I can say is that it was an abrupt change in tone from, you know, one day, ‘Excellent, let’s prepare to get this thing on air’ to ‘Hold on.’ ” |
| Meirion Jones, the producer of the Newsnight program told Panorama that he warned Mr. Rippon on Dec. 7, 2011, of what he feared would happen if the show was canceled. | Meirion Jones, the producer of the Newsnight program told Panorama that he warned Mr. Rippon on Dec. 7, 2011, of what he feared would happen if the show was canceled. |
| “I was sure the story would come out one way or another and that, if it did, the BBC would be accused of a cover-up,” he said in an excerpt from the Panorama program released ahead of the main broadcast. “In fact I wrote an e-mail to Peter saying ‘the story is strong enough’ and the danger of not running it is ’substantial damage to BBC reputation’.” | “I was sure the story would come out one way or another and that, if it did, the BBC would be accused of a cover-up,” he said in an excerpt from the Panorama program released ahead of the main broadcast. “In fact I wrote an e-mail to Peter saying ‘the story is strong enough’ and the danger of not running it is ’substantial damage to BBC reputation’.” |
| In the same Panorama show, John Simpson, a veteran BBC foreign correspondent, said: “This is the worst crisis that I can remember in my nearly 50 years at the BBC. I don’t think the BBC has handled it terribly well. I mean I think it’s better to just come out right at the start and say we’re going to open everything up and then we’re going to show everybody everything. All we have as an organization is the trust of the people the people that watch us and listen to us and if we don’t have that, if we start to lose that, that’s very dangerous I think for the BBC.” | In the same Panorama show, John Simpson, a veteran BBC foreign correspondent, said: “This is the worst crisis that I can remember in my nearly 50 years at the BBC. I don’t think the BBC has handled it terribly well. I mean I think it’s better to just come out right at the start and say we’re going to open everything up and then we’re going to show everybody everything. All we have as an organization is the trust of the people the people that watch us and listen to us and if we don’t have that, if we start to lose that, that’s very dangerous I think for the BBC.” |
| The BBC also issued a correction on Monday of Mr. Rippon’s initial explanation in a blog post, related to an assertion that there was no evidence that the staff at the Duncroft School could have known of accusations that Mr. Savile had abused children. | The BBC also issued a correction on Monday of Mr. Rippon’s initial explanation in a blog post, related to an assertion that there was no evidence that the staff at the Duncroft School could have known of accusations that Mr. Savile had abused children. |
| “In fact, some allegations were made (mostly in general terms) that some of the Duncroft staff knew or may have known about the abuse,” the BBC statement on Monday said. | “In fact, some allegations were made (mostly in general terms) that some of the Duncroft staff knew or may have known about the abuse,” the BBC statement on Monday said. |
| “The blog says that all the women spoken to by the program had contacted the police independently already, and that Newsnight had no new evidence against any other person that would have helped the police. It appears that in some cases women had not spoken to the police and that the police were not aware of all the allegations.” | “The blog says that all the women spoken to by the program had contacted the police independently already, and that Newsnight had no new evidence against any other person that would have helped the police. It appears that in some cases women had not spoken to the police and that the police were not aware of all the allegations.” |
| The BBC statement also called into question an assertion that Mr. Savile’s behavior was not widely known at the BBC, saying there were allegations of “abusive conduct on BBC premises. Mr. Rippon had said in his blog post that “we had no evidence against the BBC.” | The BBC statement also called into question an assertion that Mr. Savile’s behavior was not widely known at the BBC, saying there were allegations of “abusive conduct on BBC premises. Mr. Rippon had said in his blog post that “we had no evidence against the BBC.” |
| Explaining his decision to halt work on the report about Mr. Savile, Mr. Rippon wrote initially that the “Newsnight” inquiry “had not established any institutional failure, and I judged it weakened the story from a ‘Newsnight’ perspective.” | Explaining his decision to halt work on the report about Mr. Savile, Mr. Rippon wrote initially that the “Newsnight” inquiry “had not established any institutional failure, and I judged it weakened the story from a ‘Newsnight’ perspective.” |
| “I took the decision not to publish,” he wrote. “There were some of my team who disagreed strongly with my judgment, and others who agreed equally strongly. | “I took the decision not to publish,” he wrote. “There were some of my team who disagreed strongly with my judgment, and others who agreed equally strongly. |
| “However, those who disagreed accepted my decision. There were no rows of any kind as has been reported.” | “However, those who disagreed accepted my decision. There were no rows of any kind as has been reported.” |
| Mr. Rippon also wrote that his superiors did not “order me to do anything,” adding, “I did discuss it with my bosses in News in the same way I do any contentious story we are working on. I was told in the strongest terms that I must be guided by editorial considerations only, and that I must not let any wider considerations about the BBC affect my judgment.” | Mr. Rippon also wrote that his superiors did not “order me to do anything,” adding, “I did discuss it with my bosses in News in the same way I do any contentious story we are working on. I was told in the strongest terms that I must be guided by editorial considerations only, and that I must not let any wider considerations about the BBC affect my judgment.” |
| The accusations against Mr. Savile have stunned many Britons, shattering the public image of a television personality who for decades attracted a young audience through his role as host of two popular BBC programs — “Top of the Pops,” a music chart-countdown show, and “Jim’ll Fix It,” in which Mr. Savile promised to grant viewers’ wishes. | The accusations against Mr. Savile have stunned many Britons, shattering the public image of a television personality who for decades attracted a young audience through his role as host of two popular BBC programs — “Top of the Pops,” a music chart-countdown show, and “Jim’ll Fix It,” in which Mr. Savile promised to grant viewers’ wishes. |
| The circumstances surrounding Mr. Rippon’s decision exposed the BBC to attack both from politicians and from its own governing body. | The circumstances surrounding Mr. Rippon’s decision exposed the BBC to attack both from politicians and from its own governing body. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron called the developments “concerning, because the BBC has effectively changed its story about why it dropped the ‘Newsnight’ program about Jimmy Savile.” | Prime Minister David Cameron called the developments “concerning, because the BBC has effectively changed its story about why it dropped the ‘Newsnight’ program about Jimmy Savile.” |
| “These are serious questions,” Mr. Cameron said. “They need to be answered.” | “These are serious questions,” Mr. Cameron said. “They need to be answered.” |
| The BBC Trust, the corporation’s governing body, said it was “deeply concerning that there have been inaccuracies in the BBC’s own description of what happened in relation to the ‘Newsnight’ investigation.” | The BBC Trust, the corporation’s governing body, said it was “deeply concerning that there have been inaccuracies in the BBC’s own description of what happened in relation to the ‘Newsnight’ investigation.” |
| “Newsnight” canceled the segment at about the same time that other departments at the corporation were broadcasting three tributes to Mr. Savile. | “Newsnight” canceled the segment at about the same time that other departments at the corporation were broadcasting three tributes to Mr. Savile. |
| The director general of the BBC at the time the segment was canceled was Mark Thompson, the incoming president and chief executive of The New York Times Company. In a letter sent to members of Parliament earlier this month, a BBC spokeswoman said that neither Mr. Thompson nor George Entwistle, his successor as director general of the broadcaster, was involved in the “Newsnight” decision. | |
| On Oct. 13, Mr. Thompson said: “I was not notified or briefed about the ‘Newsnight’ investigation, nor was I involved in any way in the decision not to complete and air the investigation. I have no reason to doubt the public statement by the program’s editor, Peter Rippon, that the decision not to pursue the investigation was entirely his, and that it was made solely for journalistic reasons.” | On Oct. 13, Mr. Thompson said: “I was not notified or briefed about the ‘Newsnight’ investigation, nor was I involved in any way in the decision not to complete and air the investigation. I have no reason to doubt the public statement by the program’s editor, Peter Rippon, that the decision not to pursue the investigation was entirely his, and that it was made solely for journalistic reasons.” |
Ravi Somaiya contributed reporting. | Ravi Somaiya contributed reporting. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | |
| Correction: October 22, 2012 | |
An earlier version of this article referred imprecisely to Mark Thompson’s connection to The New York Times Company. He was recently named to become president and chief executive of the company, but he has not yet taken up those posts. |