'Cavalier' payoff for BBC boss was 'reward for failure'
MPs have delivered a scathing assessment of the way the BBC paid off George Entwistle at the expense of the licence fee payer.
PM says George Entwistle pay-off is 'hard to justify'
The Prime Minister's spokesman has said George Entwistle's £450,000 pay-off is "hard to justify", but it is a matter for the BBC Trust.
Senior BBC executives 'step aside'
Two senior BBC figures have "stepped aside" as a result of a botched Newsnight investigation.
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Lord Patten to 'sort out the problems that remain'
Lord Patten has told ITV News he will be retaining his position as chairman of the BBC Trust, so he "can sort out the problems that remain."
Boris: 'I'd like to see a wholesale massacre of everybody involved professionally speaking'
On ITV1's The Agenda, the Mayor of London has said the Newsnight investigation that wrongly accused a Conservative peer of child abuse was "absolutely disastrous."
He told host Tom Bradby: "I'd like to see a wholesale massacre of everybody involved professionally speaking."
The Agenda with Tom Bradby is on ITV1 at 10:35pm.
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Hugh Grant on the BBC in crisis
Discussing the recent developments at the BBC, actor Hugh Grant has told ITV1's The Agenda that the reaction of the corporation - to have people leaving their positions - is in stark contrast to that of the print media, when similar errors have been made.
The Agenda with Tom Bradby is on ITV1 at 10:35pm.
Boris: 'I see no reason why Chris Patten should go'
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has told ITV1's The Agenda that Lord Patten should stay as BBC Chairman.
"It's very sad to see the BBC go through turmoil.
I see no particular reason why Chris Patten should go. I think you need him there to steady the ship.
But it's perfectly obvious that they had an absolutely catastrophic breakdown of journalistic standards.
First of all they ignored the Savile scoop which they were sitting on and it seems like they had quite a lot of evidence and then they had this crazy switching the steering wheel in the other direction and going for some 'top Tory paedo' without any real evidence.
It was absolutely disastrous and I'd like to see a wholesale massacre of everybody involved professionally speaking.
The Agenda with Tom Bradby is on ITV1 at 10:35pm.
Head of BBC NI not considering his position after inquiry
He has been interviewed by the corporation as he left work:
BBC statement on BBCNI director Peter Johnston: "We can confirm he was involved in decisions about the BBC Newsnight report." No more detail
From @BBCMarkSimpson on Twitter:Head of BBC NI Peter Johnston is not quitting. Asked on his way out of work, if he was reconsidering his position, he said: "No, I am not."
From @BBCMarkSimpson on Twitter:Boris: 'BBC has suffered a catastrophic breakdown of standards'
Speaking on ITV1's The Agenda, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson has told Tom Bradby the BBC has suffered a "catastrophic breakdown of journalistic standards".
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Patten reiterates that he is staying as BBC Chairman
by Lucy Manning - UK EditorLord Patten was asked tonight if he would be staying as BBC Chairman. He said yes, so we can sort out the problems that remain and do it as rapidly as possible.
BBC N Ireland boss involved in Newsnight story decision
by Lucy Manning - UK EditorThe BBC confirms that Peter Johnston, the director of BBC Northern Ireland, was involved in decisions on the Newsnight report. He will be a key figure on who gave the OK to run the story that wrongly implicated the Conservative peer Lord McAlpine.
Key findings of the MacQuarrie report: Part three
- During the editorial decision-making process, some of the basic journalistic checks were not completed. Specifically, identification was not confirmed by photograph with the first victim. The second victim could not be traced in order to provide up to date corroboration.
- Legal advice was sought. No right of reply was offered to the unnamed individual at the centre of the allegation.
- There was a different understanding by the key parties about where the responsibility lay for the final editorial sign off for the story on the day.
Key findings of the MacQuarrie report: Part two
- It was not clear whether this story was regarded as Savile-related or not, or when that decision was made and communicated: a clear decision on this does not appear to have been taken until lunchtime on Friday 2 November.
- As a consequence there was ambiguity around who was taking the ultimate editorial responsibility for the Newsnight report, particularly in the days leading up to the day of transmission.