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| Newsnight and This Morning to be investigated over McAlpine claims | Newsnight and This Morning to be investigated over McAlpine claims |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The BBC's Newsnight and ITV's This Morning are to be investigated by the broadcasting regulator to see whether the two programmes breached broadcasting rules by failing to provide Lord McAlpine a right of reply against allegations incorrectly linking the former Conservative party treasurer to allegations of child abuse. | |
| The investigation will also examine whether Phillip Schofield, the presenter of This Morning, behaved in keeping with the broadcasting code when he handed David Cameron a list of politicians allegedly connected with unproven allegations of abuse that he researched in "three minutes" on "the internet". | The investigation will also examine whether Phillip Schofield, the presenter of This Morning, behaved in keeping with the broadcasting code when he handed David Cameron a list of politicians allegedly connected with unproven allegations of abuse that he researched in "three minutes" on "the internet". |
| Tony Close, Ofcom's director of standards, confirmed the Newsnight and This Morning investigations in a letter written to Conservative MP Rob Wilson, saying the regulator will examine if the BBC broke the rules by "failing to provide the individual against who allegations of child abuse were made in the Newsnight programme an appropriate and timely opportunity to respond". | Tony Close, Ofcom's director of standards, confirmed the Newsnight and This Morning investigations in a letter written to Conservative MP Rob Wilson, saying the regulator will examine if the BBC broke the rules by "failing to provide the individual against who allegations of child abuse were made in the Newsnight programme an appropriate and timely opportunity to respond". |
| On Friday 2 November, Newsnight broadcast a film which linked an unnamed "senior Conservative" to historical allegations of child abuse in north Wales care homes in the 1970s. The film was based on an interview given by a victim Steve Messham, but a week later it emerged he had mistakenly identified McAlpine – setting in motion a chain of events that led to a BBC apology and the resignation of its director general, George Entwistle. | On Friday 2 November, Newsnight broadcast a film which linked an unnamed "senior Conservative" to historical allegations of child abuse in north Wales care homes in the 1970s. The film was based on an interview given by a victim Steve Messham, but a week later it emerged he had mistakenly identified McAlpine – setting in motion a chain of events that led to a BBC apology and the resignation of its director general, George Entwistle. |
| Close said Ofcom will investigate whether ITV was in breach of the rules by "failing to provide an opportunity to respond to the individuals whose names were disclosed by Phillip Schofield". | Close said Ofcom will investigate whether ITV was in breach of the rules by "failing to provide an opportunity to respond to the individuals whose names were disclosed by Phillip Schofield". |
| The ITV presenter handed the prime minister a list of Conservative politicians he did not name live on air on Thursday of last week – but some of the names were visible to people who paused the picture on a good quality broadcast feed. | The ITV presenter handed the prime minister a list of Conservative politicians he did not name live on air on Thursday of last week – but some of the names were visible to people who paused the picture on a good quality broadcast feed. |
| Ofcom's broadcasting code, section 7.11 states: "If a programme alleges wrongdoing or incompetence or makes other significant allegations, those concerned should normally be given an appropriate and timely opportunity to respond." | Ofcom's broadcasting code, section 7.11 states: "If a programme alleges wrongdoing or incompetence or makes other significant allegations, those concerned should normally be given an appropriate and timely opportunity to respond." |
| Broadcasters are penalised through fines, which can sometimes run into six or even seven figures, depending on the severity of the offence. | Broadcasters are penalised through fines, which can sometimes run into six or even seven figures, depending on the severity of the offence. |
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