The BBC impartiality dispute with Gary Lineker “goes to the heart” of the broadcaster’s reputation, according to the chief executive of Ofcom.
Following the removal of BBC Sport coverage, Dame Melanie Dawes told Parliament that it “hasn’t been a fantastic weekend” for BBC Sports enthusiasts.
She expressed to a committee her wish that the BBC would move on from this episode.
After being removed from Match of the Day for a tweet criticizing the government’s new asylum policy, Lineker will return.
Tim Davie, the director general of the BBC, stated that an independent review of social media policy would be conducted and refuted allegations that the corporation had backed down.
Dame Melanie stated to the Technology, Culture, Media, and Sport Committee on Tuesday, “Obviously, an incident like this cuts directly to the heart of their reputation beyond their news and current events coverage.”
She told MPs that the BBC’s assessment of its social media standards was appropriate, adding:
“There is ambiguity there; I believe that was intended to provide some freedom… Yet, it did not accomplish their objectives.”
Dame stated that there must be “extremely rigorous guidelines” for news presenters, but that other contributors, such as freelancers and actors, offer a “somewhat different question.”
“I believe they should evaluate freedom of expression alongside their reputation for objectivity,” she stated.
“It is the responsibility of the BBC board to protect the BBC’s image, particularly its impartiality, and to weigh all of these factors.”
She noted that she did not believe it would be “simple” and that Ofcom, the BBC’s regulator, had no involvement in establishing internal guidelines but can offer guidance.
Last week, Lineker tweeted that the government’s new Illegal Migration Bill was an “incalculably cruel policy” and that the language around it was “very different to that employed by Nazi Germany in the 1930s.”
Conservative ministers, such as the home secretary, criticized his remarks.
On Friday, Lineker was told to stop hosting Match of the Day until an agreement was found, prompting an unprecedented wave of solidarity walkouts from fellow pundits and broadcasters.
Monday marked the announcement that Lineker will resume hosting Match of the Day. The BBC stated that it will conduct an independent assessment of its social media policy; in the interim, Lineker will adhere to the existing restrictions.
Several parties criticized the BBC over the controversy, with some Conservative MPs asking whether the license fee model should continue.
But, senior Conservative Michael Gove defended the BBC and declared himself a “huge admirer” of the license fee.
He said,
“I wish the BBC well and respect its independence.”
“Tuesday in the House of Commons, Labour’s shadow culture minister Lucy Powell asked an urgent question regarding the controversy and stated that the events of the last week “revealed how susceptible the BBC leadership is to government pressure.”
She stated,
“This week’s tragic drama has raised significant questions about the government’s responsibility in maintaining BBC impartiality.” They are completely responsible for it.
She said that the removal of Lineker from the air for tweeting something “the administration doesn’t like” resembles “Putin’s Russia,” a comparison that culture minister Julia Lopez deemed “disgraceful.”
Ms. Lopez told the House of Commons that the government had “consistently made plain” that the BBC was responsible for resolving the issue internally, and that “ministers have never sought to influence BBC decisions.”
In response to a threatening message addressed to his eldest son, George, who had posted in support of his father, Lineker contacted Twitter owner Elon Musk.
Match of the Day host Gary Lineker has also updated his Twitter profile picture, which now depicts him next to a George Orwell quotation carved on the wall of the BBC’s New Broadcasting House.
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