Media watchdog Ofcom says it has “serious concerns around the transparency of the BBC’s complaints process” following the handling of the Naga Munchetty case.
BBC Director General Lord Hall recently reversed a decision to partially uphold a complaint against the BBC Breakfast host for comments she made about US President Donald Trump in July.
However, Ofcom has criticised the “lack of transparency” around both the original ruling and Lord Hall’s U-turn, saying the Corporation should have published more details about its decision-making processes.
The case “highlights the need for the BBC to provide more transparency on the reasons for its findings”, the watchdog said, adding it “will be addressing the BBC’s lack of transparency as a matter of urgency”.
Ofcom also revealed that David Jordan, the BBC’s editorial standards chief, had refused to co-operate while it was deciding whether to investigate the Breakfast host’s comments, arguing it did not have the authority to do so. The regulator also took the unusual decision of publishing its correspondence with Jordan.
Ofcom decided not to investigate Munchetty’s exchange with co-host Dan Walker, saying it did not break its broadcasting rules around impartiality.
