The BBC has apologized to US President Donald Trump for a Panorama episode that spliced parts of his January 6, 2021 speech together, but rejected his demands for compensation.
The corporation stated that the edit created the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action and said it would not air the 2024 programme again.
Lawyers for Trump have threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion (£759 million) unless the corporation issues a retraction, apologises, and compensates him.
The UK culture secretary expressed confidence that the BBC is addressing the matter seriously, emphasizing the need for the highest editorial standards.
This controversy has led to the resignation of BBC director general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness.
The apology was issued shortly after a second edited clip from a Newsnight segment in 2022 was revealed by the Daily Telegraph, which similarly misrepresented Trump’s speech.
In the BBC's Corrections and Clarifications publication, the corporation acknowledged the edit unintentionally misled viewers about the context of Trump’s remarks, stating: We accept that 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.
Trump's speech included phrases that were presented in a way that led viewers to misconstrue his intentions, with the edited version implying a direct call to violence during the rioting at the Capitol.
In its defense, the BBC argues that the documentary did not cause harm to Trump, who was re-elected shortly after the events, and insists that the edit was not done with malicious intent.
The ongoing discussions highlight concerns regarding media integrity, particularly in politically charged contexts, and the necessity for accuracy in reporting.
