The BBC was at the center of a scandal over a Panorama program aired last October
LONDON – The British Broadcasting Corporation BBC has apologized to US President Donald Trump for distorting his speech, but rejected his demands for compensation.
“Lawyers for the BBC had written to President Trump’s legal team in response to a letter received on Sunday. BBC chair Samir Shah has separately sent a personal letter to the White House making clear to President Trump that he and the corporation are sorry for the edit of the president’s speech on 6 January 2021, which featured in the programme,” the statement said.
The corporation noted that they no longer intend to broadcast this program.
“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 news corporation added.
The BBC was at the center of a scandal over a Panorama program aired last October. In it, Trump’s speech was spliced in a way that he appeared to be calling for the seizure of the American Congress building, although in fact he spoke about the need to express a civic position by peaceful means.
The scandal forced CEO Tim Davey and head of news Deborah Turness to resign. The American leader’s lawyers demanded that the BBC remove the program by November 14, apologize and pay compensation, threatening a $1 billion lawsuit.
BY: The Times Union
