CMS Committee writes to The Sun and BBC over coverage of Huw Edwards allegations
The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has written to The Sun and BBC over their “widespread coverage” of allegations made against presenter Huw Edwards.
Earlier this month, The Sun was the first to report claims that veteran BBC broadcaster Edwards paid a young person for sexually explicit photos.
A letter to The Sun editor Victoria Newton asks her to explain what was done to verify the story and if there are any reviews or discussions ongoing about the newspaper’s procedures and reporting in this case and any wider lessons to be learned.
The letter, signed off by CMS chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage, said: “Our role is not to challenge individual stories or editorial decisions, but we would be grateful if you could set out the processes by which The Sun verifies any story it chooses to report, especially those where issues of privacy may be at stake.”
Inaccuracies
It added: “Given the concerns that have been reported about inaccuracies, changing narratives and lack of engagement with some of the parties involved in the case of Mr Edwards, we would also be interested to understand what was done to verify this specific story and what, if any, reviews or discussions are ongoing about The Sun’s procedures and reporting in this case and any wider lessons to be learned.”
The letter also asks Newton to set out what investigations are taking place into allegations made about former Sun journalist Dan Wootton, who has been accused of offering colleagues money for sexual material.
The committee has also written to BBC chairwoman Dame Elan Closs Stephens to request further details about the reviews into wider BBC processes the corporation is carrying out in light of the allegations and its plans to publish the findings.
On Monday, the BBC described BBC News’ reporting of allegations made against Edwards as “proportionate” following complaints the broadcaster gave the story “too much coverage”.
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Proportionate to the baying mob of jackals and out-and-out scum that read that rag of a newspaper and the drooling dweebs that pay attention to that disgusting gang of vapid monsters that the BBC has become in the last twenty years or so…..
Indeed, just because the Sun has considered it newsworthy even if it may be entirely baseless allegations, doesn’t make it newsworthy for the BBC, except in their mind it does because it seems to take its editorial lead from the Murdoch press and other similar outlets.