BBC Trust’s findings on Newsnight investigation

x

The Trustees welcome the Finding of the Editorial Standards Committee of the BBC Trust into the events surrounding the Newsnight broadcast of 2 November 2012.

The Finding is a thorough, fair and accurate account of events and confirms that the BBC had complete editorial control over the report and the decision to broadcast. The Finding is consistent with the Trustee’s investigation into the Bureau’s involvement into its role, the results of which were published on 25 November 2012.

As is made clear in the Finding the report was prepared with the assistance of a journalist (freelancer) on secondment to the BBC from the Bureau and was based on research and materials which were developed by the journalist when he had previously worked for the BBC. The journalist did not take to the BBC any information, notes or records belonging to or developed at the Bureau and the report was under the full editorial control of the BBC.

Read the BBC Trust’s report in full here.

The Trustees wish to repeat their personal regret and disappointment at the failures within the Bureau as identified in their report of 25 November.  The Editor and the journalist concerned in these matters have resigned.  Trustees have put protocols in place to ensure that the mistakes are not repeated and that the Bureau can continue its work on high quality investigative journalism in the public interest.

You can view all the Trustee’s statements on the Newsnight broadcast here.