Commentators call for more heads to roll at the BBC
George Entwistle’s decision to resign as director general of the BBC has failed to satiate the bloodlust amongst those calling for more heads to roll.
Widespread criticism of a chain of middle-managers who have failed to perform their job properly over the past few weeks was voiced by Libby Purves, a columnist with the Times, who was highly critical of the ‘faceless’ bureaucrats at the broadcaster.
Purves draws the line at calling for Chris Patten to be fired, claiming that “…he would just be another decorative head-on-a-spike to satisfy the corporation’s bloodthirsty foes in rival media and politics,” but isn’t shy at naming who else should go.
These include the BBC’s head of news, Helen Boaden and her deputy Stephen Mitchell whose responsibilities include ‘editorial responsibility’ and both of whom have recently stepped aside.
Purves also names Sue Inglish whose job description includes responsibility for the editorial content of political stories and the head of newsroom, Mary Hockaday.
James Hardy, the Beebs head of communications, was also a target of Purves ire, particularly his failure to keep his boss abreast of front page criticism of their organisation in the guardian.
In her column Purves wrote: “I repeat that I have no close contact with the television news world and do not know which of the above bear responsibility for which disaster. Or who decided to leave Newsnight under comparatively inexperienced leadership during the Savile inquiry just when its editorial clout should have been boosted. But some of them have to go, and possibly their job titles with them.
“No point just knocking down the visible D-G and maybe Chairman without paying serious forensic, public attention to the rest. There are rumours that one or two news executives are ‘negotiating departure’, which is not a phrase that reassures. When you find a rotten egg in the box, you don’t negotiate with it.”