BBC boss Tim Davie warns employees to not let narrative be ‘given by enemies’ amid Trump risk
BBC director-general Tim Davie has told staff to “stand up for our journalism” and warns the narrative “will not just be given by our enemies”.
His speech to staff comes as he prepares to step down from his position following the Trump editing row.
Davie quit on Sunday amid a scandal over the editing of a speech by Trump, which has prompted the US president to threaten billion-dollar legal action.
In remarks to BBC staff seen by the PA news agency, he said: “We have to be very clear and stand up for our journalism.
“We are a unique and precious organisation, and I see the free press under pressure, I see the weaponisation. I think we’ve got to fight for our journalism.
(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
“I’m really proud of our work, and the amazing work locally, globally, that we’re doing is utterly precious.”
He added: “We have made some mistakes that have cost us, but we need to fight for that.
“And I’m fiercely proud of that, and don’t let anyone stop you from thinking that we are doing a fantastic job.”
Davie also alluded to “enemies” of the corporation, telling staff: “We will thrive and this narrative will not just be given by our enemies: It’s our narrative.”
(Image: Getty Images)
A report from Michael Prescott, a former external adviser to the BBC’s editorial standards committee, raised concerns that a speech made by Trump before the attack on the US Capitol on January 6 2021 had been selectively edited by the BBC for a Panorama documentary.
BBC chairman Samir Shah has apologised for an “error of judgment” over the editing.
Speaking to staff, Davie acknowledged it has been a “tough few days”, adding: “Maybe one of my biggest emotions at the moment is I care desperately about the organisation, the thousands of people who work for it, with every cell of my body, I think are absolutely wonderful in what they do.
“And I think we all need to be looking after each other and making sure we set everything in context.”
(Image: Getty Images)
He continued: “I’m fiercely proud of this organisation. There are difficult times it goes through, but it just does good work.
“And that speaks, it speaks louder than any newspaper, any weaponisation.
“We are the very best of what I think we should be as a society, and that will never change.”
A legal letter, from Trump counsel Alejandro Brito, has demanded that “false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory statements” made about Mr Trump be retracted immediately.
The letter says if the BBC “does not comply” Mr Trump will be “left with no alternative but to enforce his legal and equitable rights, all of which are expressly reserved and are not waived, including by filing legal action for no less than 1,000,000,000 dollars in damages.
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