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Director General of BBC Resigns Over "Poor Journalism"

dryriver writes "George Entwistle, the new Director General of the BBC who had been on the job for a mere 54 days, has voluntarily resigned over a BBC program that featured 'poor journalism'. The program in question was 'Newsnight', which typically features hard-hitting investigative journalism similar to American programs like '60 Minutes'. On Friday night, Newsnight accused a prominent Conservative MP and former adviser to Margaret Thatcher, Lord Alistair McAlpine, of having sexually abused a number of young boys at Bryn Estyn Children's Home in the 70s and 80s. Only after Newsnight aired with the allegations in the UK did the BBC realize that 'the wrong photographs were shown' to the alleged sexual abuse victims, who are now adults, and that Lord Alistair McAlpine had nothing whatsoever to do with the abuses committed. Newsnight's 'poor journalism' caused George Entwistle, the Director General of the British Broadcasting Corporation, to resign voluntarily over the scandal caused by the erroneous allegations. This example of an important media chief 'resigning voluntarily due to bad journalism' is interesting, because many TV, Web and Print journalists make 'serious mistakes' in their coverage at some point or the other, and quite often no heads roll whatsoever as a result."

3 of 214 comments (clear)

  1. Slashdot? by Dan+East · · Score: 5, Funny

    At first I thought I clicked on the wrong bookmark, but the style and appearance sure looks like Slashdot, however to content is apparently completely random international news.

    --
    Better known as 318230.
    1. Re:Slashdot? by Stephen+Williams · · Score: 5, Funny

      There's been a load of blah on Slashdot recently about some election in the colonies; turnabout is fair play :-)

    2. Re:Slashdot? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Imagine what it'd be like if Slashdot editors had to reign over "bad journalism". Nothing would ever be the same again.

      They already do 'reign' over bad journalism...