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The BBC's cringing must stop The BBC's cringing must stop
(about 17 hours later)
Let's get the obvious out of the way first: the BBC makes mistakes. Sometimes they are small ones, sometimes they are big ones – and sometimes it looks as if the biggest mistakes the BBC makes is in how it deals with its mistakes.Let's get the obvious out of the way first: the BBC makes mistakes. Sometimes they are small ones, sometimes they are big ones – and sometimes it looks as if the biggest mistakes the BBC makes is in how it deals with its mistakes.
As Nick Pollard couldn't help but notice in his review, reported today, the most worrying aspect of the whole sorry tale of Newsnight's decision not to run its Jimmy Savile investigation was the BBC's "complete inability to deal with the events that followed" once the crisis erupted.As Nick Pollard couldn't help but notice in his review, reported today, the most worrying aspect of the whole sorry tale of Newsnight's decision not to run its Jimmy Savile investigation was the BBC's "complete inability to deal with the events that followed" once the crisis erupted.
Why is the corporation so appallingly inept at handling crises? Heaven knows, it's had enough experience by now. Don't other major corporations have crisis response teams, ready and able to swing into action when disaster strikes? Item one for incoming director general Tony Hall: hire a team who don't lose their heads as soon as the BBC comes under fire. The BBC also needs to learn how to differentiate between owning up to its mistakes, quickly and openly, and defending itself against broad-based attacks from commercial rivals. Michael Grade once told me that too often the BBC's characteristic posture looks like "a pre-emptive cringe" – it's not a pretty sight and it does the BBC no favours.Why is the corporation so appallingly inept at handling crises? Heaven knows, it's had enough experience by now. Don't other major corporations have crisis response teams, ready and able to swing into action when disaster strikes? Item one for incoming director general Tony Hall: hire a team who don't lose their heads as soon as the BBC comes under fire. The BBC also needs to learn how to differentiate between owning up to its mistakes, quickly and openly, and defending itself against broad-based attacks from commercial rivals. Michael Grade once told me that too often the BBC's characteristic posture looks like "a pre-emptive cringe" – it's not a pretty sight and it does the BBC no favours.
In retrospect, setting up the Pollard review was probably a mistake, a decision taken in haste by a new and untested director-general, George Entwistle. If the now notorious blog written (originally as an internal briefing note) by Newsnight editor Peter Rippon was inaccurate, it should – and could – have been promptly corrected. If the decision not to proceed with the Savile film was a mistake, that was something for the editor's superiors to take up with him.In retrospect, setting up the Pollard review was probably a mistake, a decision taken in haste by a new and untested director-general, George Entwistle. If the now notorious blog written (originally as an internal briefing note) by Newsnight editor Peter Rippon was inaccurate, it should – and could – have been promptly corrected. If the decision not to proceed with the Savile film was a mistake, that was something for the editor's superiors to take up with him.
It is deeply unjust that the only head to roll is, once again, a deputy head. Stephen Mitchell, Rippon's direct line manager, is one of the BBC's good guys. After having worked with him for more than 20 years, I know him to be a man with a cool head, good judgment, and utter integrity. Even Pollard, who clearly didn't take to him, accepts that when Mitchell spoke to Rippon about the Savile story, he said that the planned TV tributes to the DJ were irrelevant to his decision on whether to go ahead with the investigation. Corporate interference was the charge the BBC faced, and the verdict is: not guilty.It is deeply unjust that the only head to roll is, once again, a deputy head. Stephen Mitchell, Rippon's direct line manager, is one of the BBC's good guys. After having worked with him for more than 20 years, I know him to be a man with a cool head, good judgment, and utter integrity. Even Pollard, who clearly didn't take to him, accepts that when Mitchell spoke to Rippon about the Savile story, he said that the planned TV tributes to the DJ were irrelevant to his decision on whether to go ahead with the investigation. Corporate interference was the charge the BBC faced, and the verdict is: not guilty.
Given what we now know about those deeply inappropriate tribute programmes – internal mails contained words like "queasy" and the "darker side" of Savile – surely Pollard should have paid more attention to why they went ahead. My former colleagues in BBC News might well feel aggrieved that they are taking the brunt of the criticism while light entertainment gets away almost unscathed.Given what we now know about those deeply inappropriate tribute programmes – internal mails contained words like "queasy" and the "darker side" of Savile – surely Pollard should have paid more attention to why they went ahead. My former colleagues in BBC News might well feel aggrieved that they are taking the brunt of the criticism while light entertainment gets away almost unscathed.
As for the calls from politicians and pundits for more scalps, how many newspaper editors quit after they libelled the parents of Madeleine McCann by in effect accusing them of her murder? How many "decided to retire" after branding the wholly innocent Christopher Jeffries as the killer of Joanna Yeates? As for the calls from politicians and pundits for more scalps, how many newspaper editors quit after they libelled the parents of Madeleine McCann by in effect accusing them of her murder? How many "decided to retire" after branding the wholly innocent Christopher Jefferies as the killer of Joanna Yeates?
The BBC Trust said in its response to Pollard: "The BBC portrayed (in the report) is not fundamentally flawed, but has been chaotic." Well, yes. Fortunately, Tony Hall knows the organisation well enough to do something about it – and that includes trying to do something about the Trust itself. It's an ugly, hybrid beast, neither regulator nor board of directors, and it should be put out of its misery at the next charter review.The BBC Trust said in its response to Pollard: "The BBC portrayed (in the report) is not fundamentally flawed, but has been chaotic." Well, yes. Fortunately, Tony Hall knows the organisation well enough to do something about it – and that includes trying to do something about the Trust itself. It's an ugly, hybrid beast, neither regulator nor board of directors, and it should be put out of its misery at the next charter review.
The question of budgets was no part of Pollard's remit, but it cannot be ignored: endless rounds of annual budget cuts, imposed by governments shaving real-terms licence fee income year after year, come at a cost. Programme teams are smaller, and fewer managers are taking on ever-greater responsibilities. Fewer people working under more pressure equals more mistakes.The question of budgets was no part of Pollard's remit, but it cannot be ignored: endless rounds of annual budget cuts, imposed by governments shaving real-terms licence fee income year after year, come at a cost. Programme teams are smaller, and fewer managers are taking on ever-greater responsibilities. Fewer people working under more pressure equals more mistakes.
Pollard reported that several witnesses said the Savile affair would have been far better handled if the role of deputy director general once occupied by Mark Byford still existed. What an irony it would be if one of the consequences of the whole debacle is that the BBC starts hiring a few more managers again.Pollard reported that several witnesses said the Savile affair would have been far better handled if the role of deputy director general once occupied by Mark Byford still existed. What an irony it would be if one of the consequences of the whole debacle is that the BBC starts hiring a few more managers again.
• This article was amended on 20 December 2012. The original misspelled Christopher Jefferies' surname as Jeffries and has been corrected.