McAlpine, Newsnight and All That ...

[Nick Armstrong]

Many thanks, Rumpole - that's cleared up lots of thoughts

[Pianorak]

The most cringe-making interview ever? Until then I'd hoped he would stay and weather the storm.

{Guardian] 10 November: During an interview on Radio 4's Today programme, Entwistle admits he was totally unaware of the Newsnight report until the day after it was broadcast.

[Resurrection Man]

seems to me that the apparent "need" for Mr Entwistle to go has hung on his title of Editor-in-Chief [which seemed to require him to know what all his staff were doing at any given moment] as well as DG -.....

I agree with you up to a point. But in this particular circumstance and all the furore around Savile and subsequent Newsnight debacles I would have thought that he would have focussed an awful lot of his time and energy on this and wanted to be involved. To be hands off, as he was, was the wrong action at this time. A shame as that has pretty well done for him career-wise.

[An_Inspector_Calls]

Entwhistle had to go, simply on the basis that no organization of that supposed stature should be seen to be run by a bumbling idiot.

McAlpine will sue, win, and be awarded enormous damages (whether or not it goes to court, I think it will essential to him for the settlement details to be published). It's our money, of course, but if that goes towards tidying up BBC journalism I'll welcome that.

The BBC seems to have a cavalier attitude to its journalism. There's another issue quietly simmering with regard to its biased reporting of climate change which is dragging the BBC into the courts

http://www.bishop-hill.net/blog/2012/11/9/oh-dear.html

At stake here are details of a secret meeting held in 2006 in which BBC journalists agreed their climate change stance in cahoots with organizations such as WWF and FoE. That issue will end in tears for the BBC . . .

[Frances_iom]

..
At stake here are details of a secret meeting held in 2006 in which BBC journalists agreed their climate change stance in cahoots with organizations such as WWF and FoE. That issue will end in tears for the BBC . . .

thankyou - the first truely funny reply in this thread

[kernelbogey]

"Having a total Entwhistle" = having a complete shocker &c.

There's no h in Entwistle.

And now no f in Entwistle either.

[Tony Halstead]

There's no h in Entwistle.

And now no f in Entwistle either.

[amateur51]

There's no h in Entwistle.

And now no f in Entwistle either.

[ahinton]

There's no h in Entwistle.

And now no f in Entwistle either.

Bring back Birt? (who's often suffered from the same)...

[scottycelt]

Chris Patten on the Andrew Marr Show:

'When I became Chairman of the BBC Trust I discovered there are more people in the BBC Senior Management Group than its equivalent in the Chinese Communist Party ...'

[kernelbogey]

More seriously, I am shocked by the posts here forecasting the demise, break up, privatisation etc of the BBC.

I don't think the country will have it, and I hope that the 1000+ members here would be at the forefront of any campaign to prevent any of these events.

Of course both Newsnight scandals are serious, must be investigated, and appropriate actions taken. Let's hope Patten and the Trust members keep cool heads and deploy safe hands.

But I suggest that all this is a storm in a large teapot. The media village has gone bonkers because their mates, rivals, heroes and villains are embroiled in one of the most serious examples of journalistic malpractice - albeit most likely honestly undertaken - that we have seen in recent years. And in an organisation which, unlike (say) the Murdochs' media empire, is held in reverence by many people.

I agree with whoever it was said above that this will blow over, when appropriate actions have been taken. But we know - do we not? - that the right wing press is allied to commercial forces who would love to see the BBC's demise, and would be waiting to descend on British broadcasting like the poet's wolf on the fold. And we should all gird our loins and start putting some thorn hedges around the fold and be lighting bonfires at night to warm those guarding it round the clock.

Think of the extraordinary breadth and variety of the BBC. Consider those magnificent television series which have been the envy of the world - and the world's broadcasters have bought them enthusiastically because they're the best.

Think of those news reports and other programmes that have affected the world - the famine in north-east Africa, Live Aid, and any number of regional conflicts.

Listen to an hour of the World Service and consider the deep and lasting influence it has had on individuals and indeed regimes around the world. I value it more highly than Trident.

This deserves a thread of its own as there is a danger that these passing, albeit considerable, issues about Savile and Newsnight will preoccupy us here at the expense of the greater moral question which is the future of the greatest broadcasting oransisation in the world.

[Nick Armstrong]

There's no h in Entwistle.

And now no f in Entwistle either.

Noted, kernel !

[Pabmusic]

More seriously, I am shocked by the posts here forecasting the demise, break up, privatisation etc of the BBC...

What a superb post! I suspect it would not be easy to get rid of the BBC for reasons that include yours. However, the Beeb will undoubtedly come under pressure over licence fees in the next few years, with little to shore it up against attacks.

[kernelbogey]

I thought I'd put my post where my mouth is.

See new thread!

[Stunsworth]

Has anyone from ITV resigned after Philip Schofield wafted that piece of paper, with McAlpine's name on it, at Cameron?

It barely seems to have been mentioned in the furore over Newsnight not actually naming anyone.