By Kevin McCauley
Helen Boaden, director of news, and Stephen Mitchell, deputy director, today temporarily stepped down from their positions following a botched report implicating that a former top member of the Conservative party was involved in sex abuse.
Their moves follow the weekend resignation of BBC director-general George Entwistle, who resigned due to “unacceptable journalistic standards” regarding the Nov. 2 “Newsnight” report that politico Alistair McAlpine abused children in North Wales during the 1970s and 1980s.
The 23-year BBC veteran acknowledged in his statement that as editor-in-chief he was “ultimately responsible for all content.”
In the top post for less than two months, Entwistle said the “wholly exceptional events of the past few weeks have led me to conclude that the BBC should appoint a new leader.”
According to the BBC site, neither Boaden nor Mitchell “had anything at all to do with the failed Newsnight investigation into Lord McAlpine.”
The broadcaster though believes there is a “lack of clarity in the lines of command and control in BBC News as a result of some of those caught up” in the probe into the McAlpine mess.
“In the circumstances Helen and Stephen will be stepping aside from their normal roles until the Pollard Review reports and they expect to then return to their positions,” said the BBC.
In the interim, Fran Unsworth takes over for Boaden, while Ceri Thomas will assume Mitchell’s duties.
Chris Patten, chair of the BBC Trust, has called for an overhaul of the BBC, charing the 90-year-old broadcaster of practicing “unacceptable shoddy journalism.” |