BBC election coverage ‘must be impartial beyond reproach’
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The BBC’s impartiality must be “beyond reproach” in its general election coverage, the corporation’s new chairman has said.
Samir Shah has set out his priorities for the BBC ahead of taking over leadership of the corporation’s board.
The Government’s preferred candidate for BBC chairman told MPs that its election night coverage needed to be “beyond reproach” and would be his first priority.
It has been suggested that a May general election is likely, with Emily Thornberry, the shadow attorney general, last week claiming the prospect was “the worst kept secret in Parliament”. However, Tory strategists are reportedly planning for an election in November.
Writing to MPs on the culture, media and sport committee, Mr Shah said: “Next year is likely to be election year. It is BBC journalism’s world cup.
“We need to be match fit. We need to have figured out everything from studio debates to allocation of airtime. BBC coverage must be beyond reproach.”
His statement of intent comes amid speculation about who will anchor the main election coverage. Huw Edwards remains off air, having been suspended after allegations of him paying a teenager for explicit images were made in July.
The teenager at the centre of the scandal, now in their 20s, denied the claims. The Met Police was clear that there was no suggestion of criminality.
Mr Shah has said controversies are a common challenge for a BBC chairman, adding: “The BBC is constantly facing two types of situations – acute and chronic. The committee should assess my, and the BBC’s, performance in how we have handled these situations.
“Every now and then, the BBC runs into a storm of criticism. Often it is about impartiality and its coverage of a particular story. Sometimes it’s rather different (e.g. Huw Edwards, Tim Westwood). The committee should judge my performance, and the BBC’s, by how well we have handled such ‘storms’.”
Mr Shah recently told MPs that he wanted to find a conclusive “solution” to rows involving Gary Lineker, the Match of the Day presenter. Lineker last year signed an open letter criticising the Government’s Rwanda policy, and used social media to apparently mock Tory MPs.
Mr Shah told MPs the former footballer’s mockery of politicians was likely to have been in breach of the corporation’s social media guidelines. He added that the guidelines may have to be reviewed if they were not achieving their desired result.
