DG George Entwistle resigns after 54 days in office due to Newsnight errors.




From the BBC Media Centre.

"In the light of the fact that the Director-General is also the Editor-in-Chief and ultimately responsible for all content; and in the light of the unacceptable journalistic standards of the Newsnight film broadcast on Friday 2nd November; I have decided that the honourable thing to do is to step down from the post of Director-General.

When appointed to the role, with 23 years' experience as a producer and leader at the BBC, I was confident the Trustees had chosen the best candidate for the post, and the right person to tackle the challenges and opportunities ahead. However, the wholly exceptional events of the past few weeks have led me to conclude that the BBC should appoint a new leader.

To have been the Director-General of the BBC even for a short period, and in the most challenging of circumstances, has been a great honour.

While there is understandable public concern over a number of issues well covered in the media - which I’m confident will be addressed by the Review process - we must not lose sight of the fact that the BBC is full of people of the greatest talent and the highest integrity. That’s what will continue to make it the finest broadcaster in the world."

George Entwistle"



Any comments?

Admin.



BBC Director of Audio and Music Tim Davie has been appointed as Acting Director General of the BBC following George Entwistle’s resignation.

It was announced in October that Tim would be taking over as Chief Executive Officer of BBC Worldwide on December 1st, but that appears to be on-hold now depending on the outcome of this developing story.

Source:- Radio Today.




This is from "Inside The BBC:- Management Structure" as at 2200 hrs. Saturday.
George Entwistle took up his appointment as Director-General on 17 September 2012.

George is Chief Executive and editor-in-chief of the BBC, appointed by the BBC Chairman.
He is Chair of the BBC Executive Board.
He is Chairman of BBC Worldwide.
He is also the champion of the BBC's commitment to Public Service Broadcasting and the responsible and effective use of licence fee revenue

“Iain Overton has resigned his appointment as Editor of The Bureau of Investigative Journalism.  Deputy Editor, Rachel Oldroyd, will assume responsibilities for editorial control of The Bureau.   An appointment of an Interim Editor is likely to be announced in the near term.

An inquiry to establish the role of The Bureau in the story is in urgent progress. An interim report will be issued as soon as possible.

Trustees reaffirm The Bureau’s commitment to fact-based, non-sensational investigation in the public interest. Any role by the Bureau or its officers in this story was strictly contrary to the fundamental principles and standards of the Bureau.”

Source:-
http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2012/11/12/statement-from-bureau-trustees-o...

Members of our forum might like to know that the BBC News web-site is presently running a continuously updated page here.

Most BBC managers over the years have been notorious for being at the front of the queue to accept the plaudits when things are going well, and notable by their absence when things are going badly. Entwhistle seems to have been the very reverse.

His resignation was the honourable act of an honourable man, and it is one which others, inside the BBC and out, should think about and ask themselves whether they ought not to be doing the same.

"The successes belong to the team: the defeats are mine alone " was one of the first principles of leadership taught, oddly enough, on a BBC Management Training course.

When I first joined the BBC in 1965  Personnel told us the best way to maximise your pension fund account was to be a tea boy at Wick for ones working life becoming D G for the last 2 years.
George has found a better way !