A scandal over the editing of a Trump speech which threatened to undermine the BBC’s US expansion and overall trust in the broadcaster here in the UK has led to two heads rolling.
- BBC Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness resign.
- Broadcaster to formally apologise over Trump speech edit on Monday.
- Scandal has potential to damage BBC’s US expansion.
The BBC has been rocked by the sudden resignations of Director-General Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness, following mounting criticism over the broadcaster’s editorial standards. The departures, announced on Sunday, come in the wake of a Panorama documentary that allegedly misrepresented a speech by U.S. President Donald Trump, sparking a political and public backlash. The BBC is expected to issue a formal apology on Monday.
Davie, who had led the BBC since 2020, informed staff of his decision in a note, stating, “This is entirely my decision… I remain very thankful to the Chair and Board for their unswerving and unanimous support throughout my entire tenure.” He acknowledged the “intense personal and professional demands” of the role and emphasised the need for an orderly transition.
Tim Davie had previously weathered scandals surrounding Huw Edwards, Strictly, Gaza, Glastonbury coverage and Gary Lineker. He had been head of BBC Studios, the BBC’s commercial arm, prior to serving as Director-General. During his time in charge of BBC Radio, he tried, and failed, to close 6 Music.
Controversial News CEO departs
BBC News CEO Turness, joined the BBC just three years ago, as the BBC embarked on ambitious plans to change its news output.
Deborah Turness has long been a polarising figure – a “Marmite” presence who has drawn both admiration and criticism. Her sudden departure at BBC News has left some staff dismayed, with insiders suggesting it was driven by pressure from political enemies of the BBC.
Turness joined the corporation in 2022 from NBC News, where her tenure was marked by mixed results. A planned NBC Sky World News channel was scrapped, and during NBC’s stake in Euronews, she oversaw a troubled relaunch that took over five years for the pan-European network to recover from.
Turness oversaw US expansion at the expense of UK
At the BBC, she led the merger of its UK and World News channels – a move that echoed her earlier ambitions for a global news service. Her leadership also coincided with controversial strategic shifts. While domestic news operations faced cutbacks – including reductions in TV and local radio – Turness and Director-General Tim Davie spearheaded an expansion of BBC News in the United States.
UK-based journalists faced redundancy as recruitment ramped up across the Atlantic. The U.S. push aimed to generate commercial revenue by offering impartial journalism in a highly polarised media landscape. The BBC relaunched its app for American users, introducing paid access to its live news stream.
However, the editorial scandal that triggered Turness’s resignation had the potential to threaten the viability of that expansion. With the Trump administration tightening its grip on media narratives and news organisations that dare to upset the President, the BBC’s U.S. commercial ambitions were under threat.
Political and Commercial Impact
Analysts said in the aftermath of the resignations the move was likely to be an attempt to protect the BBC from further attacks over recent editorial decisions. But the resignation of Davie and Turness is not just political. As future public funding isn’t guaranteed, or certainly not to the degree the BBC would like, their sacrifice may also help safeguard the BBC’s commercial plans in the USA. That’s something Davie, as former head of the BBC’s commercial operation will understand more than most.
The BBC’s current Royal Charter expires in two years. The broadcaster must now enter negotiations on renewing the charter with the news scandal fresh in politician’s minds and its reputation in question.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: BBC