Overview
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt labeled the BBC “100% fake news” and a “leftist propaganda machine” in comments to the Telegraph about the Panorama segment.
- The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has written to BBC chairman Samir Shah seeking details on the edit, with the BBC saying he will respond on Monday and UK media reporting an apology is expected.
- Ofcom chair Lord Michael Grade has written to Shah to seek assurances that the concerns raised in the leaked memo are being considered seriously.
- Prescott’s 19-page dossier alleges Panorama spliced lines nearly an hour apart from the president’s Jan. 6 speech to create a misleading clip, and it cites wider concerns including BBC Arabic’s Gaza coverage and reporting on transgender issues; the episode aired the week before the 2024 US election.
- The BBC says it will not comment on leaked documents but takes feedback seriously, as political pressure intensifies with figures such as Boris Johnson calling for accountability, while some commentators describe the edit as a serious mistake that warrants an apology.