BBC formally apologizes to President Trump for documentary edit
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The BBC headquarters in London. Photo: Anna Ross/picture alliance via Getty Images
The BBC formally apologized to President Trump after criticism over how a documentary edited his Jan. 6 speech, and said it does not plan to rebroadcast the program.
Why it matters: Though it apologized, the BBC disagreed that the edit merited a defamation claim, and it did not indicate that it would compensate Trump, as he had demanded.
- A lawyer for Trump had sent a letter to the British broadcaster threatening a $1 billion defamation suit unless the BBC issued a retraction, an apology and compensation.
Catch up quick: Two top BBC leaders resigned Sunday after sections of Trump's 2021 speech to supporters made more than 50 minutes apart were spliced together in the "Panorama" documentary, "Trump: A Second Chance?"
- In a correction note posted Thursday, the BBC acknowledged "our edit unintentionally created the impression that we were showing a single continuous section of the speech, rather than excerpts from different points in the speech, and that this gave the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action."
- The edit was mentioned in an internal memo penned by former BBC adviser Michael Prescott and published by the Telegraph earlier this month.
- Prescott alleged "serious and systemic" bias at the outlet and warned that this "distortion of the day's events" would erode viewer trust in the BBC.
What they're saying: A spokesperson said BBC chair Samir Shah sent a personal letter to the White House to apologize for the edit.
- "While the BBC sincerely regrets the manner in which the video clip was edited, we strongly disagree there is a basis for a defamation claim," the spokesperson said.
Zoom out: Thursday's statement comes shortly after another BBC show was accused of a misleading edit of Trump's Jan. 6 speech.
- The Telegraph reported that a clip aired on BBC's "Newsnight" in 2022, two years before the "Panorama" edit at the center of the scandal.
- A BBC spokesperson said the broadcaster "holds itself to the highest editorial standards. This matter has been brought to our attention and we are now looking into it."
- A spokesperson for Trump's legal team said in a statement, "It is now clear that BBC engaged in a pattern of defamation against President Trump by intentionally and deceitfully editing his historic speech in order to try and interfere in the Presidential Election."
The big picture: The fiasco has inflamed bias allegations against the BBC, which has long faced criticism from people across the political spectrum.
- The broadcaster derives most of its funding from a license fee paid by viewers in the U.K.
- Critics have renewed calls to overhaul or eliminate the fee amid the allegations of misleading edits.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional details throughout.
