Ex BBC director-general apologises over £100m IT blunder
Mark Thompson, a former director-general of the BBC, has publicly apologised for the first time for a failed £100m IT project which took place under his watch.
Thompson conceded that the Digital Media Initiative had cost license-fee payers ‘a lot of money’ and had ‘failed as a project’ after it was abruptly scrapped by his successor, Tony Hall. Previously Thompson had incensed MPs by claiming that the system was working well.
The IT project had been intended to create an integrated digital production and archiving platform but became mired in internible cost overruns and delays, with the BBC shelling out £3m a year on the failed scheme.
Hauled back before the public accounts committee Thompson said: “I don’t believe I misled you knowingly on this. I just want to say sorry. I want to apologise to you and to the public for the failure of this project.”
John Linwood, chief technician for the Digital Media Initiative, was sacked last July.