"Don't let President Trump cloud the real debate about the BBC. Of course, his demand for damages of no less than $5bn has dominated our thinking about the corporation over the past few weeks, as has its cause. But let's get this into perspective. This was a serious own goal and journalists make mistakes. Salvation in this case would have been a line of script between the clips, or once a mistake had been discovered, a very speedy public acknowledgment."
"It's not just a broadcaster, says the introduction, it's also a national institution if it did not already exist, we would have to invent it. The secretary of state, Lisa Nandy, is even more forthright: I believe the BBC, alongside the NHS, is one of the two most important institutions in our country. While one is fundamental to the health of our people, the other is fundamental to the health of our democracy."
President Trump's $5bn damages demand has dominated recent attention but arose from a broadcasting mistake. Journalists sometimes err; an inserted script or a rapid public acknowledgement would have mitigated harm. The BBC has apologised and is justified in not yielding to external pressure, using the moment to affirm editorial independence. The government's green paper frames the BBC as a national and cultural institution comparable in importance to the NHS. The BBC provides high-quality, accurate, impartial news, remains the nation's most trusted source for verification, and delivers broad national and global benefits.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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