BBC is not 'institutionally biased', says author of explosive memo

By Paul Sandle and Kate Holton

LONDON (Reuters) -The author of a report that plunged the BBC into crisis said on Monday that the British public broadcaster was not "institutionally biased" but did have editorial failings, and that he had hoped his criticisms would help fix them.

Michael Prescott, a former external editorial adviser, compiled a dossier on issues within BBC News, including failings in the editing of a speech by U.S. President Donald Trump, and allegations of bias in its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war and transgender issues.

Its most explosive complaint was that the BBC's flagship documentary programme had edited together clips from a Trump speech on the day his supporters overran the Capitol in 2021, making it look as though he had advocated violence.

The report was leaked to the Daily Telegraph, sparking the resignations of BBC Director General Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness, and a threat by Trump to sue for up to $5 billion, plunging the public broadcaster into crisis.

PRESCOTT SAYS BBC DID NOT ADDRESS QUESTIONS PROPERLY

"I do not think it's institutionally biased," Prescott told a committee of lawmakers on Monday. "Let's be very clear, tons of stuff the BBC does is world-class, both factual programming and non-factual programming."

He said the BBC's British political reporting was exemplary, but he had written his memo, which he also sent to the media regulator and the government, because he believed there were "systemic causes" behind the problems he had found.

"What I was frequently seeing was that the BBC's idea of dealing with something was to change the editors around, tweak the written guidelines, but there was never, it seemed to me, any willingness (to look) at exactly what went wrong and whether there were deep implications," he said.

BBC Chair Samir Shah said the broadcaster had taken action on many fronts in response to criticism, and the issues raised by Prescott were a partial account.

GIBB DENIES LEADING IDEOLOGICAL 'COUP'

The committee also questioned Robbie Gibb, a non-executive BBC board member, former BBC journalist and previously communications chief to Conservative prime minister Theresa May.

Some commentators have said Prescott and Gibb worked together to mount an ideological attack on the broadcaster, which both men deemed to be too liberal.

Both denied the assertion.

"I'm no ideological soulmate of Robbie Gibb," Prescott said. "I'm a centrist dad."

Gibb, who also denied the news operation was institutionally biased, said the notion of an orchestrated campaign or a coup by some board members was "complete nonsense".

But he said he had discussed Prescott's memo with him before it was sent to the board. Prescott had asked Gibb whether he thought it was a good idea, and Gibb said he had replied: "Fair enough if you want to do that."

(Reporting by Paul Sandle and Muvija M; Editing by Kate Holton and Kevin Liffey)