The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

BBC Financial Times the Times

Media Review: BBC crisis coverage across the web

Author

By Gillian West, Social media manager

November 13, 2012 | 4 min read

As the crisis at the BBC rumbles on news websites worldwide are filled with reaction to George Entwistle's controversial payoff, disciplinary action over the Newsnight scandal, and speculation about who will be made the new permanent director general of the BBC.

The Telegraph

The Telegraph runs with Lord Patten's admission that the broadcaster paid the former director-general twice his contracted entitlement to "go quietly". According to the Telegraph, Entwistle earned "£8,333 for every day he spent as director general," with Lord Patten defending the payout stating that it "helped ensure that there were no “long drawn-out discussions” and that he would step down quickly". The Telegraph also draws on calls from both Conservative and Labour MPs for Lord Patten to resign over the payment and for "failing to get to grips with the crisis".

BBC

The BBC itself leads with the news that disciplinary measures against some of those involved in the decision to run a Newsnight report on care homes in North Wales are set to begin. The broadcaster states that acting director general Tim Davie has vowed to "get a grip of the situation." The BBC also reports concerns from deputy prime minister Nick Clegg over the severance package given to former director general Entwistle.

Financial Times

The Financial Times leads with the news that influential Conservatives have "backed calls for a radical shake-up of the BBC, endorsing a split in the director general’s role after a day of turmoil for the national broadcaster". Head of the Commons culture committee, John Whittingdale, told the Financial Times that the crisis at the BBC showed how Entwistle "clearly demonstrated that he couldn’t fulfil both parts of the job . . . maybe no one can do that”.Whittingdale added: “I would want to look at it more closely and take some evidence on it, but I can see some arguments in favour of that sort of split."The Financial Times also reports on Conor Burns, another Tory member of the committee, who has commented: "I think there’s a strong argument going forward to split the role and have one executive director and one executive editor".

Guardian

The Guardian reports on the disciplinary action taking place at the BBC over the Newsnight broadcast that wrongly linked a "senior Conservative" to child abuse allegations. The Guardian states: "BBC sources said that Liz Gibbons, the programme's acting editor, and Adrian Van Klaveran, the supervising executive seconded from his job running Radio 5 Live, are expected to face a disciplinary process that could result in them being sacked or exonerated". According to the Guardian "BBC insiders say that Gibbons, the acting editor, felt she had to ask Van Klaveran, the executive placed in charge of the programme, to approve key aspects of the Newsnight investigation". Adding: "Van Klaveren, speaking at a radio industry conference in Salford, was asked when he would return to his normal job running 5 Live. He said the BBC was still "working through all the evidence"."

The Times

The Times BBC story reports that the next director general is "likely to be an outsider to ensure that the corporation is given a complete overhaul". The report adds that sources have told the Times that the "chairman was considering making a direct approach to a number of individuals" rather than advertising for the post.The Times states that alternatively the chairman may consider four non-BBC figures for the role.

BBC Financial Times the Times

More from BBC

View all

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +