In a harshly critical interview on the BBC’s Today show this morning, David Dimbleby attacked Emily Maitlis’ remarks about the organization and called her Dominic Cummings monologue a “polemic.”
The 83-year-old veteran host and television presenter of Question Time said that her monologue, which was judged to have violated the BBC’s impartiality guideline, should have been worded as questions rather than assertions.
He did note that the whole Newsnight crew had received a reprimand from the broadcaster, not just Ms. Maitlis.
In May 2020, Ms. Maitlis declared, “The nation can see that Cummings breached the rule, it is amazing the government cannot,” during the contentious speech.
The general feeling is one of rage, scorn, and agony.
“Well, not everyone may have been startled… maybe, but it is a question to pose,” Mr. Dimbleby said on the Today show.
It was polemic, I admit. That, in my opinion, was the error.
Following the disclosure that senior No. 10 staffer Dominic Cummings traveled from London to Durham after testing positive for coronavirus, including a now-famous stop at Barnard Castle, Ms. Maitlis made her remarks.
At the moment, the PM backed Mr. Cummings, who resigned in November 2020.
In only two days, the BBC received more than 40,000 complaints over the broadcast, many of which were upset at both her remarks and the BBC’s assertion that it had infringed the regulations.
‘It makes no sense for an organization that is beautifully, notoriously meticulous about protocol – unless it was possibly conveying a message of comfort straight to the Government itself,’ former Newsnight anchor Emily Maitlis said to the Edinburgh audience.
Ms. Maitlis, 51, said at the Edinburgh TV Festival this week that the BBC had’sought to satisfy’ No. 10 by offering an apology ‘within hours.’ She left the organization last year to join media conglomerate Global.
She inquired as to whether “perhaps conveying a message of comfort straight to the Government” through the BBC.
She emphasized the quickness of the BBC’s reaction, asking: “Why had the BBC tried to corroborate the Government spokesman’s assertion so quickly and publicly?” without any kind of legal procedure?
Unless it was possibly delivering a message of confidence directly to the Government itself, it makes little sense for an organization that is brilliantly, notoriously meticulous about protocol.
Along with allegations about BBC board member Sir Robbie Gibb, whom she referred to as a “former Downing Street spin doctor and previous advisor to BBC competitor GB News,” Mr. Dimbleby disagreed with this aspect of Ms. Maitlis’ remarks as well.
I don’t believe it’s accurate that there is a conspiracy of Conservative loyalists at the BBC, he said.
There will always be conflicts with the government, he said, as well as with the opposition since both groups always attempt to rely on the BBC, which sometimes makes mistakes.
The BBC is being used as a political football. We need to be sure about it.
As the newest development in the BBC’s word battle unfolded, listeners swiftly turned to social media. Although some supported Mr. Dimbleby, many others sided with Ms. Maitlis.
The BBC’s Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore stated in her own statement in Edinburgh that “in no way was there any influence from the Government or the board” on the BBC over its choice to reprimand Maitlis.
“To imply otherwise is inaccurate,” she said, “as we have made clear before in connection to Newsnight, we did not take action as a consequence of any pressure from Number 10 or the Government.”
According to Ms. Moore, objectivity is “particularly vital for the BBC,” and viewers demand it of the broadcaster in particular when it comes to holding politicians accountable.
Additionally, Ms. Moore sent her best wishes to all of the prominent employees who have left the BBC in the recent past and noted that their departures had created wonderful opportunities for fresh talent to emerge in their stead.
The BBC puts the utmost importance on proper impartiality and accuracy, and we apply these values to our reporting on all matters, according to a BBC spokeswoman.
“To imply otherwise is incorrect. We did not take action as a consequence of any pressure from No. 10 or the government, as we have already said in respect to Newsnight.
The BBC determined that the show violated its editorial standards, and that determination is still valid.