British public broadcaster BBC is taking action after an independent committee report found serious deception to snare Princess Diana for interview in 1995. It promises to investigate internal procedures for possible abuse.
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British public broadcaster BBC takes action after an independent committee found ‘deceptive methods’ were used to get an interview with British Princess Diana in 1995. Martin Bashir, the journalist in question had used false bank statements to snare Princess Diana for an interview. He had led her to believe that close associates wanted to sell information to the tabloids.
‘We cannot assume that mistakes of the past cannot happen today. We have to make sure of that, ‘the BBC said in response to the revelations from the investigation. For example, the BBC will review its editorial policy. The BBC does note that the internal processes and guidelines are stronger today than they were in 1995. The British public broadcaster will also investigate how Bashir was able to return to work for the BBC in 2016. At the time, questions were already being asked about the research. The reporter left the BBC earlier this month for health reasons.
In an interview with The Sunday Times Bashir said he ‘never wanted to hurt Lady Di’, and ‘I don’t think we did’. Both Prince William and Prince Harry, the sons of Princess Diana, who died in 1997, reacted furiously to the revelations. “The BBC cheated and abandoned my mother,” he said.
The government has plunged into the file. It is full of BBC critics and they see their chance to take the management back in the crosshairs. British Culture Minister Oliver Dowden spoke of an opportunity to ‘change the BBC’s work culture’. The BBC is also at the start of negotiations on the management agreement. Critics fear the government wants to curtail public broadcasting.
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