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LSE: BBC put us in 'impossible situation' over North Korea students LSE: BBC put us in 'impossible situation' over North Korea students
(5 months later)
The fallout from the BBC's undercover Panorama film on North Korea spilled into a sixth day on Thursday, as the London School of Economics defended itself from criticism levelled by its own students.The fallout from the BBC's undercover Panorama film on North Korea spilled into a sixth day on Thursday, as the London School of Economics defended itself from criticism levelled by its own students.
Robin Hoggard, the LSE's head of external relations, rejected complaints from six of the 10 students on the Pyongyang trip that it had exposed them to greater risk by "going public" with its misgivings about John Sweeney's Panorama film.Robin Hoggard, the LSE's head of external relations, rejected complaints from six of the 10 students on the Pyongyang trip that it had exposed them to greater risk by "going public" with its misgivings about John Sweeney's Panorama film.
Hoggard accused the corporation of putting the LSE in an "impossible position" when it refused to kill the undercover programme, which aired on Monday.Hoggard accused the corporation of putting the LSE in an "impossible position" when it refused to kill the undercover programme, which aired on Monday.
In an email to the six LSE students, Hoggard wrote: "We believe you were told enough [by the BBC] to get you into trouble but not enough to let you make an informed decision about the risks."In an email to the six LSE students, Hoggard wrote: "We believe you were told enough [by the BBC] to get you into trouble but not enough to let you make an informed decision about the risks."
The BBC has denied the LSE's claim that it used the 10 students on the academic trip as a human shield to sneak Sweeney, his wife Tomiko Newson – an alumni of the university who organised the trip and worked as a freelance on the project for the corporation – and cameraman Alexander Niakaris into the North Korean capital in March. The corporation has maintained that it gave the students enough information about the risks of traveling with undercover journalists for them to give informed consent on whether to continue with the trip before they left London.The BBC has denied the LSE's claim that it used the 10 students on the academic trip as a human shield to sneak Sweeney, his wife Tomiko Newson – an alumni of the university who organised the trip and worked as a freelance on the project for the corporation – and cameraman Alexander Niakaris into the North Korean capital in March. The corporation has maintained that it gave the students enough information about the risks of traveling with undercover journalists for them to give informed consent on whether to continue with the trip before they left London.
"As none of us in the LSE administration was present at any stage, we can only say that the facts are disputed – fiercely," said Hoggard in his email, which was copied to the new BBC director general, Tony Hall, and the BBC Trust chairman, Lord Patten."As none of us in the LSE administration was present at any stage, we can only say that the facts are disputed – fiercely," said Hoggard in his email, which was copied to the new BBC director general, Tony Hall, and the BBC Trust chairman, Lord Patten.
He added: "And if the BBC had laid out the full risks and sought consent in writing, we suspect there would have been second thoughts.He added: "And if the BBC had laid out the full risks and sought consent in writing, we suspect there would have been second thoughts.
"All this is by the by. All 10 of you were deliberately deceived, by the BBC's own admission. You weren't in a position to give informed consent."All this is by the by. All 10 of you were deliberately deceived, by the BBC's own admission. You weren't in a position to give informed consent.
"And it isn't just about you. What the BBC have done has had implications for not just the whole LSE community, perhaps especially our academics, but for LSE as an institution and for independent academics more widely.""And it isn't just about you. What the BBC have done has had implications for not just the whole LSE community, perhaps especially our academics, but for LSE as an institution and for independent academics more widely."
Hoggard was responding on behalf of the LSE to a letter sent to the university by the majority of the students who went on the North Korea trip late on Wednesday, in which they accused the university of placing them at greater risk of harm by speaking publicly about the undercover filming.Hoggard was responding on behalf of the LSE to a letter sent to the university by the majority of the students who went on the North Korea trip late on Wednesday, in which they accused the university of placing them at greater risk of harm by speaking publicly about the undercover filming.
The LSE said it had "made strong private representations" to the BBC on 9 and 10 April, before circulating an internal email about the dispute on 13 April – the date the row began to make headlines.The LSE said it had "made strong private representations" to the BBC on 9 and 10 April, before circulating an internal email about the dispute on 13 April – the date the row began to make headlines.
Since the group returned to London, a North Korean envoy has threatened to released private information about the students and the BBC journalists who went on the eight-day trip last month.Since the group returned to London, a North Korean envoy has threatened to released private information about the students and the BBC journalists who went on the eight-day trip last month.
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