 |
BBC
says FAC report justifies BBC journalism
The
BBC believes today's report from the Foreign Affairs Committee justifies
its decision to broadcast the Today programme story of 29 May and
the Newsnight story of 2 June and shows that both were in the public
interest.
In particular,
we believe the decision to highlight the circumstances surrounding
the 45 minute claim has been vindicated.
We
would point to the unanimous conclusion of the Foreign Affairs Committee
in paragraphs 70 and 71, which says:
"We
conclude that the 45 minute claim did not warrant the prominence
given to it in the dossier, because it was based on intelligence
based on a single uncorroborated source. We recommend that the Government
explain why the claim was given such prominence."
The committee
continues: "We further recommend that in its response to this
report, the Government set out whether it still considers the September
dossier to be accurate in what it states about the 45 minute claim,
in the light of subsequent events."
It is because
of BBC journalism that the problems surrounding the 45 minute claim
have come to light and been given proper public attention.
We note that
the committee was deeply divided on the role Alastair Campbell played
in the compilation of the September dossier and only reached a decision
which supported his position on the casting vote of the Labour chairman.
We also note that not all the Labour MPs on the committee supported
this decision.
We
also consider it important, in the context of our reporting, that
in paragraph 100 the committee says unanimously:
"The
language used in the September dossier was more assertive than that
traditionally used in intelligence documents."
And
in paragraph 107, the committee says: "We conclude that the
continuing disquiet and unease about the claims made in the September
dossier are unlikely to be dispelled unless more evidence of Iraq's
WMD programmes come to light."
We
are pleased that Alastair Campbell said this morning that his complaint
is about one story only and was no longer an attack on the whole
of the BBC's journalism or coverage of the war.
On
whether or not it was right for the BBC to broadcast the Today programme
story on 29 May, the BBC will have to agree to disagree with Mr
Campbell. The Foreign Affairs Select Committee makes no comment
on this.
Notes
to Editors
Statement
from Gavyn Davies, Chairman of the BBC (06.07.03)
Letter
from Stephen Whittle, Controller, Editorial Policy, BBC to Ben Bradshaw
MP (03.07.03)
Letter
from Richard Sambrook, Director BBC News, to Ben Bradshaw MP
(29.06.03)
Letter
from Andrew Gilligan, Today programme Defence and Diplomatic Correspondent,
to Phil Woolas, Deputy Leader of the House of Commons (28.06.03)
Letter
from Richard Sambrook, Director, BBC News to Alastair Campbell
(27.06.03)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
