BBC accused of providing inaccurate complaints data
The BBC has been accused by The Times of reporting ‘fake news’ after it emerged that the broadcaster had been issuing inaccurate data on its complaints processes to its internal board.
BBC accused of providing inaccurate complaints data
The broadcaster was found to have misled its board for over by overstating the speed of its responses to serious complaints, by exaggerating the proportion thought to have been resolved in time.
Systemic errors were found in reported data throughout 2017-18, with the result that the percentage of complaints dealt with in time were exaggerated to an unknown extent.
The BBC’s own editorial standards demand that 80% of complaints are dealt with within 20 working days, rising to 35 days for more complex cases.
Published figures disseminated to the outside world showed the correct data, that is that the editorial complaints unit fell short of this target for 2017-18, by answering just 75% of complaints on time.
The BBC blamed the discrepancy on an IT fault.
Content created with:
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters are at Broadcasting House in Westminster, London.
Find out more