 "BBC chair Samir Shah apologises for ‘error of judgment’ over Trump speech edit following top resignations. Image: Agencies")
BBC Chair Samir Shah on Monday apologised for an “error of judgment” in editing a speech by US President Donald Trump in a Panorama documentary, following the resignations of the broadcaster’s Director General and head of news.
Shah acknowledged that the edit gave a misleading impression and should have been handled more carefully. He noted the issue had been reviewed internally earlier this year, but said the BBC should have taken formal action at the time.
“It is absolutely clear the BBC must champion impartiality,” Shah wrote to British lawmakers. “The BBC would like to apologise for that error of judgment.” He added that the broadcaster is committed to restoring public trust and ensuring its journalism meets the highest standards of fairness.
The Panorama programme, aired a week before the US presidential election, spliced together two separate excerpts from one of Trump’s speeches, creating the impression that he was inciting the January 2021 Capitol Hill riot.
The mistake was included in an internal report by a former standards adviser, which also cited BBC failings in its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war, transgender issues, and other topics.
Mounting criticism over perceived bias led to the resignation of Director General Tim Davie and Chief Executive of News Deborah Turness on Sunday.
While Shah accepted criticism over the Trump edit, he rejected claims that the BBC tried to “bury” any allegations or failed to address problems. He highlighted that the broadcaster had issued corrections, updated editorial guidance, made leadership changes, and taken disciplinary action when required.