Talkradio presenter James Whale has been suspended over an interview with a woman about her alleged sexual assault after the radio station said he “completely lacked sensitivity” in handling the subject matter.

The show was discussing comments made by author Jilly Cooper who has claimed the #MeToo movement has left men and women unable to safely flirt with each other.

During the broadcast, which aired last week, the woman claimed to have been sexually assaulted by a man during a taxi ride this year.

She claimed police had told her it was unlikely they would be able to identify her attacker as she did not know his name and CCTV is often deleted after 30 days.

A video stream from the studio, originally posted online by Talkradio but later deleted and republished by the Guardian, shows Whale mouth “orally raped?”, laugh and shake his head as the guest begins to describe her experience.

Whale was accused of victim blaming after he told her she should have continued with her police complaint despite the fact they had said they would be unable to help, and challenged her over the fact that CCTV was routinely deleted.

Whale also asked why she had not taken the taxi’s licence number and later added: “Are you not concerned that perhaps unless you did go further with this then this brute could actually do it to other women, and probably will?”

Whale was suspended from Talkradio, pending a full investigation, on Friday.

Former MP George Galloway will appear in Whale’s 7pm to 10pm slot throughout this week. He normally only appears on Fridays, with Whale broadcasting Mondays to Thursdays.

A statement issued by Talkradio said: “James Whale’s interview with [the guest] on Monday [30 July] was conducted in a manner that did not reflect the values of the station and completely lacked sensitivity when she discussed her personal story.

“This style of broadcasting is not something that Talkradio supports or encourages, and we have taken the decision to suspend James Whale pending a full investigation.

“This incident saw regrettable errors made by both the production and presenting teams and we are taking measures to ensure that they are not repeated again.”

Whale has made no public statement on the incident but retweeted Talkradio’s statement without comment.

In 2008, Whale was fired from sister station Talksport after encouraging listeners to vote for Boris Johnson in the London mayoral race.

Ofcom fined the station over Whale’s comments, which it found had breached the Ofcom code on political impartiality.

When Whale was hired by Talkradio in 2016, the station said he was “renowned for his confrontational and opinionated interview technique”.

At the time, Whale said: “I’m delighted that Wireless Group is willing to take the risk of inviting me back into the family and I hope to repay them with some suitably controversial and entertaining content to shock and amuse Talkradio’s educated audience at the end of each day.”

Picture: Talkradio

A radio station that breached impartiality rules by predicting local election results on polling day has hired a news editor after admitting the errors took place when no full-time journalists were employed.

Radio Exe, which broadcasts in the Exeter area, featured analysis of the likelihood of Labour holding onto Exeter City Council at the local election on 3 May in news items at 8am and 9am – just hours after polls to elect one third of the council opened at 7am.

Ofcom’s broadcasting code states that discussion and analysis of election issues must end when the polls open so voters’ decisions are not directly influenced by media coverage.

In the item broadcast at 8am, which received one complaint to Ofcom, a reporter said: “Labour currently holds 29 of the 39 seats, the Conservatives have eight and the Lib Dems and Greens have one each.

“Even though there’s the faintest of mathematical hopes for the Conservatives, Exeter will be a Labour council tomorrow, as it has been for the whole of this decade.”

At 9am, the reporter said: “Right now Exeter is Labour controlled, and that’s going to be the case tomorrow too, so dominant are they.

“The Tories have the slimmest chance of taking over, but they’d have to win twelve of the thirteen seats, and not even the Conservatives think that’s going to happen.”

Ofcom said these comments “constituted discussion and analysis of election issues and were broadcast whilst polls were open for the 2018 English local elections”, adding they were breaches of the code.

Independently owned Radio Exe apologised, calling the broadcasts a “clear mistake” and admitting it had been a “clear breach”.

The station said the two items had been intended to “round up” its election coverage but that they “evidently should have been transmitted before 7am, on the day before or not at all”.

Radio Exe told Ofcom it was a “small station” and that the breach took place when it had no full-time journalists in place.

It has now appointed a news editor to “tighten” its compliance processes and has considered its future coverage of local democracy issues in light of the complaint.

The station also apologised to each of the four main parties that took part in the election and Exeter City Council.

Read the full Ofcom ruling here (from page 31).

Eddie Mair presented BBC Radio 4’s current affairs programme PM for the last time after 20 years yesterday, leaving without mentioning on air that it was his last show and avoiding any “fuss or faff”.

Mair’s last show was scheduled for Friday, but he said in an email to staff after yesterday’s show that he had decided to call it a day as there was “no way to match that for a last Eddie programme”.

In an email to PM staff, published in full by the BBC, Mair said: “So, that’s what it was… my last PM. It felt right then and it feels right now.

“No fuss or faff, just as I wanted. Genuinely unplanned, and with its origins in a listener idea. Perfect. Or as close to perfect as we’re likely to get.”

Mair also teased that PM “is about to get a brilliant editor” and that the show “is about to get even better”. His replacement has not yet been announced.

He is set to join talk radio station LBC in September to host a brand new show after spending 30 years at the BBC on programmes including Broadcasting House on Radio 4, The World on BBC World Service and Midday with Mair on BBC Radio 5 Live upon its launch in 1994.

When Mair’s departure was first announced last month, it was widely reported that he had refused to take a pay cut as the BBC attempted to close its gender pay gap.

According to the BBC’s disclosure last month of its top-paid talent who earn more than £150,000 a year, Mair’s salary lies between £300,000 and £339,000. Last year his salary band was £300,000-£349,999.

However Mair has written in the Radio Times that the main driving force behind his decision to leave was “a desire to do something a little different after 20 years in one job”, and that he actually offered to take a pay cut.

“None of my thinking has been influenced by the BBC’s pay problems. I’d offered, in writing, to take a cut. It tickled me to read sometimes that I was apparently refusing,” he added.

Broadcasting House presenter Paddy O’Connell will guest present PM today and tomorrow to fill in for Mair, who also said in his email that he will not be in the office due to “one of those 48 hour bugs”.

Mair’s final song was Willie Nelson’s Bring Me Sunshine, which he said had been a listener’s suggestion, “in keeping with the tradition of PM”.

In the email, he added: “Making the show yesterday had been tortuous for everyone on a quiet news day but in the end, I think we made something pretty good.”

Mair will continue to present the Grenfell Tower Inquiry podcast for the BBC until the inquiry’s conclusion.

Picture: BBC

Statements issued through a judiciary-linked news agency in Iran calling BBC Persian Service journalists “anti-Iranian” and “terrorist-nurturers” have been condemned as “thinly-veiled threats” on their lives.

On Wednesday, Iran’s National Journalists’ Day, the Mizan news agency appeared to incite violence against the BBC Persian Service, part of the BBC World Service, and targeted eight journalists by naming and sharing images of them.

A joint statement released by the BBC and the National Union of Journalists shared what they called the “most worrying” passage of the Mizan statement.

It said: “Without doubt, the mafia gang associated with the joint psychological operations HQ of overthrowing the system of the Islamic Republic, which has directly targeted the Iranian people and their security, are not free to carry out any counter-security measures against the Iranian people.

“The members and employees of this gang, a number of whom have gathered in the BBC Persian propaganda-security apparatus, and even their internal colleagues who are following the same line, must be held answerable for their actions against the Iranian people.

“They will surely be exposed one day before the Iranian nation, and God’s hand of justice will manifest itself through the arms of the Iranian people, and they will be punished for their actions.”

The comments were later amplified by a further statement from a spokesperson for the Revolutionary Guards Corps, the BBC and NUJ said, representing a “significant escalation” of threats that have been made against BBC Persian staff for around ten years.

According to the BBC, more than 20 Persian service journalists or family members have received death threats, some warranting police protection in the UK, while some staff based in London have been unable to travel back to Iran for fear of arrest.

A statement released by Fran Unsworth, director of BBC News, and Jamie Angus, director of BBC World Service, said: “In deliberately inflammatory language, this statement effectively incites violence against our journalists.

“We call once again for all Iranian harassment against BBC Persian staff and their families in Iran to end immediately.

“This is an issue of press freedom, and of the rights of all journalists around the world to operate without fear violence or persecution.”

This year the BBC appealed to the United Nations for the first time in its history in an attempt to protect the human rights of its journalists covering Iran and their families.

BBC Persian reporter Negin Shiraghaei (pictured) addressed the UN Human Rights Council in June, when the BBC sent a delegation to ask for action to end the harassment.

She told the council she is regularly subjected to “Iran’s online manipulation and misinformation tactics”, including photos being photoshopped of her and distributed online to discredit her, and the making a false documentary which was aired by state TV.

Highlighting abuse aimed at women journalists, Shiraghaei added: “We have been targeted with fake news, alleged sexual misconducts and indecency that could amount to a crime in Iran including in the state-owned media. Our faces have been edited onto pornographic images which have been shared online and in one instance shared with the 14-year-old son of one female TV presenter.

“This online harassment of women journalists at the BBC is aimed at undermining our ability to exercise our freedom of speech and must stop. We ask members of this council to call upon Iran to cease their persecution and harassment of journalists. Journalism is not a crime.”

Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC and Jennifer Robinson of Doughty Street International, who are acting for BBC World Service in the UN complaint, said the latest comments were a “thinly veiled threat to our clients’ lives and physical safety”.

They added: “These are effectively state-sanctioned threats to journalists’ safety, using inflammatory and irresponsible language. The international community must condemn this in the strongest terms.”

Michelle Stanistreet, general secretary of the NUJ which is working on a joint campaign with the BBC to protect its members at the World Service, said calling BBC Persian journalists “anti-Iranian” and “terrorist-nurturers” was “totally unacceptable and simply not true”.

“These threats represent an intensification of the ongoing, collective punishment of journalists in London and their families in Iran. No one should have to face such threats because of their work,” she said.

“The National Union of Journalists will continue to support those affected and we call on those with power in Iran to stop violating basic human rights, and stop interfering in legitimate journalism and media freedom.”

The International Federation of Journalists said it stands in solidarity with BBC Persian Service journalists and “for the right of all journalists to report free from persecution and threat”.

IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “This latest attack on BBC Persian Service journalists is a grave escalation of a ten-year campaign of threat and intimidation which is designed to silence the media and prevent Iranian citizens from having access to a diverse range of voices.

“By naming individuals and in light of the violent language used to denounce named journalists this represents not just a threat to media freedom but a serious threat to the lives of those journalists and their families.

“It is time for the Iranian campaign of harassment to end.”

According to the BBC, Iran’s permanent mission to the UN told the Human Rights Council in March that allegations of harassment and threats were “incorrect”.

The mission said: “BBC Persian is not an independent media network. Its financial and political affiliation with the ministry of foreign affairs and the British security agencies has been very serious.”

Iran is ranked 164 out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index created by Reporters Without Borders.

Picture: Youtube/NUJ

Talkradio presenter James Whale is back on the air after he was suspended over an interview with an alleged sex assault victim that was said by the station to have “completely lacked sensitivity”.

Whale has since apologised to the phone-in guest, who had called to take part in a discussion about the #MeToo movement and claimed she had been sexually assaulted in a taxi earlier this year.

He was seen on an official video stream of the studio to mouth the words “orally raped?” after they were said by the guest, laugh and shake his head.

Following the 30 July broadcast, the woman accused Whale of victim blaming over the way he reacted to her story.

During the interview, Whale told the woman she should have continued with a police complaint against her alleged attacker and challenged her over her claim that CCTV was routinely deleted.

Whale also asked why she had not taken the taxi’s licence number, later adding: “Are you not concerned that perhaps unless you did go further with this then this brute could actually do it to other women, and probably will?”

The presenter was given a week’s suspension, but returned last week to the evening radio slot following an internal investigation by the station, part of the Wireless Group owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News UK.

Whale began his return show on 13 August by apologising directly to the woman who had complained.

“I have to admit that I have been absolutely devastated that anybody, anyone could actually think that I would act insensitively towards somebody who has been the victim of any kind of sexual assault, any kind of assault at all,” he said.

“I am very sorry that you felt that this programme, and me in particular, did not respond to your story as sympathetically as you expected and, to be quite honest, it deserved to be treated, and I had no idea that it came across in that way.”

He said: “I had never heard of the term ‘oral rape’ and as I looked around in the studio and tried to get some kind of idea as to what it was, there may well have been confusion. Maybe the tone of my voice didn’t sound as sympathetic as it should.”

Added Whale: “I would never ever ever have wanted to upset anybody in that situation. And I’ve seen quite a lot of the social media and some of the keyboard warriors and what they’ve had to say but I want only to say to you [woman’s name] that I am absolutely devastated that it should have upset you like that, and I’m very sorry.”

A spokesperson for News UK declined to comment further.

In its statement on 3 August announcing Whale’s suspension, Talkradio said the interview had been “conducted in a manner that did not reflect the values of the station and completely lacked sensitivity when she discussed her personal story”.

“This style of broadcasting is not something that Talkradio supports or encourages, and we have taken the decision to suspend James Whale pending a full investigation,” the station said.

“This incident saw regrettable errors made by both the production and presenting teams and we are taking measures to ensure that they are not repeated again.”

Former MP George Galloway, who normally presents the same 7pm to 10pm slot on a Friday, filled in for Whale during is suspension.

In 2008, Whale was fired from sister station Talksport after encouraging listeners to vote for Boris Johnson in the London mayoral race.

Ofcom fined the station over Whale’s comments, which it found had breached the Ofcom code on political impartiality.

He was hired by Talkradio in 2016, and said at the time he was “delighted” Wireless Group was “willing to take the risk of inviting me back into the family”.

After ten years, Matthew Bannister has stepped down as the  presenter of BBC World Service’s Outlook programme to join the “world of podcasting”.

During his time at the BBC, Bannister worked as Radio 1 controller and a presenter at BBC Radio 2, Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live presenter.

In 1999 he was appointed chief executive of BBC Production, taking charge of the creation of all the non-news content on English radio, online and television.

Bannister said it had been a “privilege to present Outlook for the last ten years”. The programme features personal stories from people across the world.

He added: “I’ve interviewed hundreds of inspiring people from all over the world who constantly reminded me of the universal power of the human spirit to rise above oppression and tragedy. It has been a life-affirming experience.”

“I’ve also loved working with one of the most talented and committed production teams in the business. But I always like to set myself new challenges, so I’m heading off to see if I can make an impact in the exciting world of podcasting.”

Mary Hockaday, controller of BBC World Service English said one of Bannister’s career highlights was his interview with the late Kofi Annan.

She said: “The wonderful anecdotes Mr Annan shared, from the trouble he got into at school for challenging authority to how he coped with being a single parent – it’s a brilliant interview.

“But Matthew was also truly skilled at talking to ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events and teasing out their inspiring stories.

“Outlook is one of the most cherished programmes on the BBC World Service, and Matthew has been a truly wonderful presenter, guiding contributors through interviews with real skill and empathy.

“We thank Matthew for a wonderful decade and wish him all the best in his future endeavours. He will be greatly missed not only by his colleagues at Outlook, but by many listeners who tune in to the programme from all over the world.

As well as a career in broadcasting, Bannister is the chairman of the independent production company Wire Free Productions.

He will continue to present Radio 4 obituary programme Last Word.

Picture: BBC

Talk radio station LBC has announced that Eddie Mair will present a new two-hour drivetime show starting from next Monday.

Mair presented BBC Radio 4’s current affairs programme PM for the final time on 8 August after 20 years, leaving two days early after deciding there was “no way to match that for a last Eddie programme”.

He announced in July that he planned to leave the BBC after 31 years for LBC to “step out and give someone else a chance”, but until today the station had not officially revealed what time slot Mair would be in.

Mair will present LBC’s “drivetime” 4pm to 6pm show on Mondays to Fridays from 3 September. It makes a change from his hourly 5pm slot for PM.

He takes over the timeslot from LBC’s Iain Dale who will launch a new evening show from 7pm to 10pm every Monday to Thursday.

Dale presented the drivetime show for five and a half years and said in a blog post today it was a “shock” when he was told by LBC managing editor James Rea he would be moving from the slot.

He wrote: “James Rea told me LBC had the opportunity to bring in a massive star of speech radio and when he could tell me who it was I’d understand, but he needed this person to present Drive.

“I can’t pretend it didn’t come as a bit of a shock. It did. A few days later James told me it would be Eddie Mair who would be replacing me.

“In all honesty, if I’d been James, I’d have made the same decision. Eddie is, in my view, one of the top five names in speech radio. When you get the chance to recruit someone like him you’re a fool if you pass it up.

“And also, it would be a bit odd if he wasn’t put in the slot where he already has an existing audience, some of which will hopefully follow him. So, I completely get it.”

Dale said his new show would feature a “news hour” at 7pm with in-depth coverage of major news stories and “headline-making interviews with high-profile guests”.

It will showcase reporting teams from LBC and its owner Global across the UK and the world, and on a Wednesday at 8pm will feature Cross Question where listeners can put questions on the big issues of the week to a panel of politicians and commentators.

Dale said: “Cross Question is going to be a particular highlight and my intention is to lure into LBC viewers/listeners who have grown a little tired with the BBC versions. ”

In response, Mair wrote to Dale on Twitter saying: “I will do my best not to shrink your growing audience. You’re a very hard act to follow and were a tough competitor in my old job. I hope not to disappoint your loyal listeners.”

Mair will now hand over to former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who will move to the slightly earlier time of 6pm on Monday to Thursday alongside his Sunday morning show.

Rea said: “LBC is home to the nation’s most respected and formidable broadcasters – and it’s terrific to welcome Eddie to our powerhouse presenting team.

“As we launch our new autumn schedule, LBC will continue to lead the way in opinionated and compelling speech radio, stimulating debate on the issues that people are really talking about.”

Mair will continue to write a weekly Radio Times column and appear in the BBC’s Grenfell Tower Inquiry podcast until its conclusion.

In his column this week, he revealed why he decided to end his stint at PM two days early by playing Willie Nelson’s version of Bring Me Sunshine.

He wrote: “It was a perfect ending, suggested by a listener. No fuss or faff, as I had wanted. Why not go out with that? It was not intended to be the last, but it felt just right.”

In other changes to LBC’s schedule, sports broadcaster Ian Payne will launch a weekend drivetime show between 3pm and 6pm and Tom Swarbrick, a former adviser to Theresa May, will move from the weekend breakfast show to LBC’s late-night weekday programme from 10pm to 1am Sunday to Thursday.

Picture: LBC

Matthew Wright is joining Talkradio with his own weekday afternoon show and says he plans on “not just discussing the news, but making it too”.

The “magazine-style show” will focus on current affairs in the UK and abroad, including breaking news, politics and the arts, with regular guests in to review the day’s news, according to a spokesperson.

Talkradio is part of Wireless Group, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News UK – owner of the Sun and Times newspapers.

Wright fronted The Wright Stuff on Channel 5 weekday mornings for 18 years but announced in May this year that he would be leaving the show. He was replaced by Jeremy Vine.

Wright started out in newspapers, working as a showbiz reporter at The Sun and later writing a column in The Daily Mirror.

He said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Talkradio at this fascinating time in history when there’s so much to discuss and debate.

“My new afternoon show will see me team up with Fleet Street legend, critic Kevin O’Sullivan – two real-life chums who don’t agree on anything.

“Free of the restrictions imposed when I was on the goggle box, I’m looking forward to full-on phone-ins and laughs a plenty, not just with Talkradio’s growing army of loyal listeners, but with an array of celebrity guests too.”

The first show broadcasts on Monday 10 September from 1pm to 4pm. Jamie East, who previously held the slot, begins a new weekend show East World on Sundays from 1pm to 4pm.

Talkradio programme director Dennie Morris said: “I’ve worked with Matthew previously and know from first hand experience the passion and commitment he brings to everything he works on.

“I know our audiences are going to love his new show.”

Wright’s arrival follows Jeremy Kyle’s return to the airwaves at Talkradio last month, with new Saturday show The Jeremy Kyle Radio Show.

Earlier today, BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show presenter Chris Evans announced he was leaving the morning show to return to Virgin Radio’s Breakfast Show, which is also owned by Wireless Group.

Picture: Wireless

BBC news presenter Rachael Bland has revealed she only has days to live after being diagnosed with incurable cancer.

The BBC Radio 5 Live news reader shared the news on Twitter, writing: “In the words of the legendary Frank S – I’m afraid the time has come my friends.

“And suddenly. I’m told I’ve only got days. It’s very surreal. Thank you so much for all the support I’ve received.”

Bland, who co-hosts the You, Me and the Big C podcast with Deborah James and Lauren Mahon, confirmed they would carry on the show without her, adding: “Au revoir my friends.”

The 40-year-old, who has been married to husband Steve for four years, is mother to son Freddie, two. The couple will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary on September 14.

Bland has said she was diagnosed with primary triple-negative breast cancer in November 2016 and has been documenting her journey on her blog Big C Little Me, which has the tag line “putting the can in cancer”.

On August 3, she revealed she had been ruled out of clinical trials because of a rise in enzymes.

She wrote on Instagram: “Another bump in the road. Whilst I was concentrating on my lungs my liver was busy throwing a [spanner] in the works.

“An enzyme called ALT has been steadily on the rise since I started trials. It is a sign of liver damage and right now it rules me out of any further trials.

“So we’re chucking everything at it. Change of steroid. No alcohol and liver detox diet. And hoping those numbers start going down again.

“This just got serious. Game face on.”

She added that she was rushing to complete a memoir for her son, saying: “It’s now a real race against time for me to finish my book ‘For Freddie’. If you need me, you’ll find me typing and drinking gallons of water!”

She later wrote on Twitter that she had secured an agent, who was working on finding her a publisher for the memoir.

Bland’s Radio 5 colleague Richard Bacon was among those offering her support on Twitter, writing: “Days. Devastating. Rachael I know saying I’m thinking of you (and our magnificent time together on air, especially all that late night fun) doesn’t change anything.

“But I am and I’m so very sorry. Your podcast has helped change the way people talk about all this. You’re wonderful.”

BBC newsreader Simon McCoy tweeted: “Thinking of you… you are an inspiration.”

BBC radio broadcaster Andrea Catherwood also posted: “Rachel, sending you and the family love and good wishes. Thank you for the wonderful podcast, it’s enhancing lives.”

Picture: Claire Wood/BBC/PA Wire

Some of the BBC’s flagship political shows are no longer running their own Twitter accounts, a move the corporation said had been made to try to “engage and reach more people” in one place.

It was announced this week that the Twitter accounts for The Andrew Marr Show, Daily Politics (now Politics Live) and Westminster Hour would be closed and no longer updated.

Users are instead being directed to a central BBC Politics account which promises “the best of the BBC’s political coverage”.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We have consolidated all of our political programming Twitter handles into one central account, providing an opportunity for the BBC’s political content to engage and reach more people in one place.”

But not everyone has reacted positively to the change, as former BBC Newsnight acting editor Jess Brammar, now head of news at Huffpost UK, called it a “bad strategy”.

Press Gazette understands the BBC was planning to streamline its political Twitter accounts for some time.

In July it announced that it was making changes to its political and parliamentary output in a bid to produce more digital coverage and make £1.9m in savings.

The plans included creating a new team “giving better digital and social coverage” with the aim of bringing “trusted impartial political coverage to younger audiences”.

The BBC also ended Sunday Politics in its previous format, changing it to a half-hour regional programme to follow The Andrew Marr Show, and replaced the Daily Politics with Politics Live, which began this week.

BBC News has to make £80m in annual savings by 2019/20.

The former Daily Politics and Sunday Politics account posted a statement on Monday which said: “This account has now closed. Please follow BBC Politics for tweets from BBC political TV and radio programmes.”

The Marr and Westminster Hour Twitter accounts posted similar statements directing people to the BBC Politics account for updates from their shows.

The BBC Daily Politics and Sunday Politics Twitter account had 194,000 followers, the Marr account had 81,000 followers, and Westminster Hour had 11,000. The BBC Politics account has 439,000 followers.

In tweets, Brammar said of the changes: “I know BBC digital team want to centralise stuff but you have 80,000 people that want to follow your tweets, they might not want a steady stream of politics from the main account.

“Plus, in current climate political programmes need distinct personalities.”

Brammar was joined by Habiba Khanom, who said she had, until recently, been The Andrew Marr Show’s digital producer for four years.

She wrote: “[I] Tried hard to grow the Twitter account and built up a personality for the show via Twitter. Not sure what I think about it all going onto one account. It’s confusing and will turn people off.”

The head of news at BBC Asian Network has been charged under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 over a live news bulletin in which a reporter allegedly named a victim of the Rotherham sex abuse scandal.

The BBC said the decision to charge Arif Ansari instead of the corporation itself would create a “climate of fear” for editors covering court proceedings in the public interest.

Ansari appeared in court last Tuesday charged with including information in a news report that was likely to identify a person believed to be the victim of a sexual offence.

The BBC confirmed he is pleading not guilty.

The radio broadcast in question took place on 6 February when a reporter “mistakenly” named a sex abuse victim, genuinely believing the name he broadcast was a pseudonym, the corporation said in a statement.

“The error happened once and the BBC took immediate steps to ensure there was no republication,” it added.

“We apologised directly to the individual concerned and to the court. The trial itself was not affected. However, we accept this was a serious mistake.  Breaching anonymity is a criminal offence.”

Ansari’s prosecution has been brought under Operation Stovewood, the National Crime Agency’s investigation into child sexual exploitation and abuse in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, between 1997 and 2013.

He is next due to appear at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on 11 October.

Sexual offence victims receive lifetime anonymity as soon as an allegation is made.

Under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992, reports related to proceedings must therefore not reveal their name, address or any other detail which may lead to their identification.

The Act says that, for offences committed via a broadcast programme, either the body which “provided” the programme or the person whose function is equivalent to a newspaper editor could be liable.

The previous maximum fine was £5,000, but this limit was removed in 2015.

The Crown Prosecution Service issued Ansari with a written charge and requisition on 3 August, six months after the broadcast in question.

The BBC criticised the decision to charge Ansari as editor of the programme, instead of the corporation itself.

It said: “The CPS, if they choose to prosecute, can charge the corporation and/or the editor.

“We believe that on the facts of this case, it is the BBC itself that should answer in court for this mistake, rather than the individual editor, who if convicted will have a criminal record with all the consequences that flow from that.

“This worrying decision only to prosecute the editor risks creating a climate of fear for editors endeavouring to report court proceeding in the public interest.

“The editor’s legal team have confirmed to the court that he is pleading not guilty to this charge.  Needless to say both our editor and our reporter have our full support.”

A CPS spokesperson said it would be inappropriate to comment while court proceedings remain live.

Ansari, 43, became head of news at the Asian Network last year, moving from his role as political editor for the BBC in the north west.

Picture: BBC

BBC News must be strengthened in order to “help counter the global democratic deficit” and push back against fake news, BBC director-general Tony Hall will say tomorrow.

Lord Hall will also raise the possibility of regulation to “rebalance” the media landscape between the global tech giants and the UK media industry in a speech at the Royal Television Society’s conference in London tomorrow.

Lord Hall is set to address how the BBC intends to respond to the “big shift” happening in the media industry which he says is characterised by the rapid rise and domination of US tech giants including Facebook, Google and Apple, alongside the shift in habits of younger audiences.

He will say the BBC must accelerate its response to the “big shift” in five key areas, including BBC News.

“We must help counter the global democratic deficit. The plague of disinformation and fake news needs to be challenged not just in the UK, but globally,” Lord Hall will say.

“We need a strong BBC to push against fake news and hold those who produce it – at home and abroad – to account. BBC News is trusted across the globe. Sustaining and building on this has to be a priority for our country.”

The BBC must also “spend and do more” outside London to “truly reflect the whole of the UK in our output”, Lord Hall will say.

This will mean more money spent around England and the nations, with more staff based outside London.

“The BBC’s move to Salford was a game-changer in its time – ten years on the success of Salford is something that we need to build on,” he will add.

The BBC must also spend more on the “highest-quality content”, keep “reinventing” its online services, and invest more in children and young adults, Lord Hall will announce.

In terms of regulation, Lord Hall will say Britain “also needs to do more to support the broader public service broadcasting ecology”.

“It cannot be right that the UK’s media industry is competing against global giants with one hand tied behind its back.

“In so many ways – prominence, competition rules, advertising, taxation, content regulation, terms of trade, production quotas – one set of rules applies to UK companies, and barely any apply to the new giants.

“That needs rebalancing, too. We stand ready to help, where we can.”

Earlier this month the BBC was among a group of broadcasters, alongside Channel 4, ITV, Sky, BT and TalkTalk, to call on the Government to criticise the lack of regulation over content distributed on Facebook, Google and Twitter.

A letter signed by the broadcasters called for regulatory oversight to be “urgently” brought in, suggesting a new watchdog be created to tackle the growing presence of harmful misinformation online.

Lord Hall will conclude by saying the BBC can “do more” for Britain.

“Despite the challenges, I have huge confidence in the BBC and its future. We know we can do more for Britain.

“Investment in great content that supports the creative economy. World-class online services. More for children and young adults. Trust and accuracy in news. More outside London.

“The country needs a strong creative economy. Our society needs a strong upholder of truth. Are we as a country willing to give our media and the BBC the support they need? In short, the big shift is here and it’s happening. We all need to move with it.”

Picture: Channel 4 News

Evan Davis is set to leave Newsnight by the end of October after being appointed presenter of BBC Radio 4 current affairs programme PM.

Davis, who has been the lead presenter on Newsnight since 2014, will replace Eddie Mair, who left PM last month to host a new drivetime show on commercial radio station LBC.

Davis, a former BBC economics editor, has also previously presented BBC Radio 4’s Today programme for six years.

He said: “Having survived several years of people saying ‘you’re not as good as Jeremy Paxman’, I now look forward to people saying ‘you’re not as good as Eddie Mair’.

“I would have loved to stay longer at Newsnight and will miss the team who’ve been fantastic, but PM is presenter heaven and jobs like this don’t come along very often, and you have to grab them when you can.”

He added on Twitter: “I have to say, that I will genuinely miss the daytime office conversations with the BBC Newsnight team.

“Audiences perhaps don’t realise how much the output depends on the vitality and intelligence of some underpaid staff.”

Davis confirmed on Twitter that he is moving to PM at the end of October.

Until then PM will continue to be presented by different journalists, as has taken place since Mair’s departure at the start of August.

The BBC said it would say more about Newsnight’s future staffing “in due course”.

Davis is currently the show’s lead presenter alongside presenters Emily Maitlis and Kirsty Wark.

Both women have been touted as possible replacements for David Dimbleby, who announced in June he was stepping down from hosting Question Time.

Gwyneth Williams, controller of Radio 4, said: “PM has a special place in the lives of Radio 4 listeners and each week millions tune in to its unique blend of news and current affairs.

“I am sure that this discriminating audience will be delighted that Evan will be bringing his experience, intelligence and wit back to Radio 4’s daily news programmes as he takes the helm at PM.

“Personally I very much welcome his returning voice as, day by day, Radio 4 tries to reflect a fast-changing world for our listeners.”

Fran Unsworth, BBC director of news and current affairs, added: “Evan is a brilliant journalist whose warmth and individuality make him the ideal presenter for PM.”

Mair presented PM for 20 years until his final show on 8 August, which he ended “no fuss or faff”.

He spent 30 years in total at the BBC on programmes including Broadcasting House on Radio 4, The World on BBC World Service and Midday with Mair on BBC Radio 5 Live upon its launch in 1994.

Picture: BBC

BBC Radio 1 has named two new presenters for Newsbeat, with the pair saying it is a “dream come true” to present the regular news bulletins.

Ben Mundy will read out the 12.45pm and 5.45pm bulletins from Monday to Thursday. He replaces Chris Smith who has taken a role off-mic.

Morning bulletins will be read by Roisin Hastie during the Radio 1 Breakfast show with Greg James. She replaces Tina Daheley who left the show along with presenter Nick Grimshaw last month.

“I’ve always dreamt of being the one behind the microphone… now I get to do that on a regular basis,” said Mundy, who has worked at Newsbeat for seven years after a spell at BBC Radio Kent and commercial radio.

“I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in and doing what Newsbeat does best – providing reliable, distinct news for our young audience. I can’t wait.”

Hastie has previously worked at commercial stations including Viking FM in Hull, Metro Radio in the North East and Radio City in Liverpool, where she covered stories including the Hillsborough Inquests and the 2016 General Election.

She was at BBC Merseyside for a year before making the move to Newsbeat.

Said Hastie: “Becoming a part of Radio 1 Breakfast with Greg James has been a dream come true.”

Pictures: BBC

An LBC presenter and former Downing Street adviser shared questions with cabinet ministers prior to interviewing them in a bid to entice them on his show, promising them a “gentle” ride, Buzzfeed News UK has reported.

Tom Swarbrick, who presents the LBC show on Sunday and Thursday from 10pm to 1am, has not expressly denied the claims, but said in a statement that they were an example of “political game playing”.

The radio journalist rejoined LBC in March after leaving Downing Street, where he was head of broadcast for nearly two years. He had previously spent four years at LBC and three years at BBC radio.

Text messages obtained by Buzzfeed revealed a conversation between Swarbrick and a Cabinet Minister – not named by the website – when he was trying to get the politician on his radio show.

Buzzfeed claims it has seen both sides of the text messages, which were sent earlier this year.

Said Buzzfeed: “In the messages, Swarbrick outlines an earlier telephone conversation with the minister in which he says he has already told him the questions he would ask.

“The presenter goes on to make assurances that the minister would be safe and the interview would be gentle.”

Swarbrick told the site: “Only one part of a conversation has been leaked about an interview which didn’t even go ahead.”

An LBC spokesperson said: “LBC has a long history and excellent reputation for holding people in power to account, of which there are many examples.”

A few months after Swarbrick left his role at Number 10, he secured an interview with the Theresa May, where he asked her about her NHS funding announcement.

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Broadcast regulator Ofcom has ruled that an LBC radio phone-in, which featured Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and was hosted by Labour London Mayor Sadiq Khan, came close to breaching impartiality rules.

It has also pushed for a meeting with the radio show’s bosses to go through its use of guest phone-in presenters.

Ofcom said it was particularly concerned about a political party leader being interviewed by a senior politician of the same party.

Khan was one of five politicians and journalists that took over the James O’Brien slot in late October last year, hosting a three-hour programme on 27 October 2017.

In the closing segment of his slot, the Khan hosted a public phone-in and interview with Corbyn.

Three complainants took issue with the programme and reported concerns to Ofcom, with one suggesting it amounted to a “party political broadcast”.

Ofcom found that the LBC broadcast did not breach impartiality rules, but noted that the show “strayed close” to the edge of the rule book.

It said: “We are concerned by some of the aspects of the Phone-in with Mr Corbyn which was chaired by Mr Khan.

“In particular, we highlight that a format where the leader of a political party is questioned by a senior member of the same party carries a risk of the leader being able to set out his views on policy matters largely unchallenged.

“In such circumstances, it is the broadcaster’s responsibility to ensure that due impartiality is preserved.

“We therefore remind LBC, and other broadcasters, that in circumstances where the interviewee and the chair are from the same political party, it is important that the licensee takes particular care to ensure that other viewpoints are appropriately represented within the programme.”

LBC argued that the hosts stepping in for regular presenter O’Brien in the week beginning 23 October covered a range of political allegiances.

The other stand-in hosts were Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, Labour MP Chuka Umunna and political journalists Robert Peston and Kevin Maguire.

LBC also argued that many of those phoning in to ask questions of Corbyn were critical of the Islington North MP. Ofcom said it felt he was not challenged as much as he might have been in normal circumstances.

Picture: LBC/YouTube

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The head of news at BBC Asian Network has denied naming a victim of the Rotherham sex abuse scandal in a radio news bulletin.

Arif Ansari was charged under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 following a live news bulletin in February. Ansari did not present the news.

The 43-year-old (pictured) is charged with broadcasting the name of the victim in a way that was likely to identify her to members of the public.

Sexual abuse victims are granted lifetime anonymity by law.

Ansari spoke only to confirm his name and address and entered his not guilty plea through his solicitor at a brief hearing at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court today.

Ansari, whose address was listed as BBC Portland Place, London, was given unconditional bail to appear at the same court on 17 January for a two-day trial.

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Ofcom is set to review the BBC’s news and current affairs output to ensure it remains a relevant and “trusted destination for audiences” in today’s “complex and rapidly changing” news environment, it has said.

The broadcast regulator said the BBC must ensure it dedicates enough resources to maintain its position as a trusted and impartial news provider as national debates become more polarised.

In its first annual report on the BBC, which was self-regulated until April last year, Ofcom said the review will inform its verdict on whether the BBC has delivered on its first public purpose under the Royal Charter: “To provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them.”

The review will particularly look at the BBC’s depth of analysis and range of content as well as the “tools and techniques” the corporation uses to deliver impartiality.

Ofcom said BBC news and current affairs output is performing well “in many respects” as it is the most-used source of news across TV, radio and online platforms.

More than seven in ten (73 per cent) of those surveyed in Ofcom’s latest News Consumption in the UK report rated the BBC highly for providing high-quality, trustworthy and accurate news.

Meanwhile more than eight in ten (83 per cent) rated its current affairs TV programmes highly for providing high-quality commentary, investigative journalism, and for helping them understand what is going on in the world.

However, Ofcom said it had noted an increase in the proportion of panel-style current affairs programmes shown on BBC TV which it said “do not tend to reflect in-depth investigative journalism”.

“In addition, we are concerned that the BBC has also more than halved the hours of This World, its only dedicated international current affairs show.

“The BBC has a particular responsibility here, given its remit, and can provide an important counterbalance to news accessed through social media.

“We think there is value in looking further at how the BBC provides depth of analysis and range of content in its news and current affairs across its TV, radio and online platforms.”

Just 61 per cent of regular BBC News TV viewers rated its news output highly for providing impartial news, the Ofcom report added.

It said the BBC “needs to lead the way in providing trustworthy news and current affairs content across all platforms, to help UK audiences engage effectively with the world around them”.

“The current news environment makes this challenging,” Ofcom said.

“As national debates become more polarised, it becomes harder for broadcasters to be seen to be accurate and impartial. The BBC has to ensure that it devotes the appropriate resources to maintain its position.”

Picture: Reuters/Neil Hall 

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BBC Radio 4’s Today programme is launching a spin-off podcast in a bid to reach a growing on-demand audience of younger listeners to offer them a “different take” on the news.

Beyond Today will air for the first time later today, with alternate presenters Tina Daheley (pictured) and Matthew Price alongside a team largely made up of female journalists under 30 from across the BBC.

The team also contains the same number of women from black and ethnic minority backgrounds as it does men at a time when newsrooms across the country are facing calls for greater diversity.

The daily podcast, which are set to last up to 20 minutes each, will focus on a single big news story.

It will have a more conversational and punchy tone than the BBC’s traditional news output, according to the BBC, and early guests are set to include top BBC journalists Evan Davis and Stacey Dooley.

The first episode will be available at around 5pm today following Chancellor Philip Hammond’s Budget announcements, asking: “Is there enough money now?”

Other topics the podcast plans to cover soon are: “Who killed Iraq’s Instagram star?” and “How will the US midterms test #Metoo?”

Daheley, who left her role reading the news on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show in August and has also presented BBC Breakfast, Crimewatch and BBC News bulletins, said: “We know there is a huge appetite for news and current affairs that is both conversational as well as punchy and cuts through the noise. That is who Beyond Today is for.”

Price, chief correspondent on the Today programme, added: “Taking what makes the Today Programme great and reimagining it in the form of a podcast allows us time and space to explore the right story for on-demand listeners in the right way with the people who know about it best.”

The Today programme (Monday to Saturday) has 6.98m listeners each week, down from 7.17m in the same quarter last year, according to the latest RAJAR audience figures.

The programme saw a record high of 7.82m in April to June 2017, which it put down to a period of significant news events including the Grenfell Tower fire disaster, a snap general election, and multiple terror attacks.

The Today programme has since returned to what it has described as “usual” audience levels, but the BBC siad it had seen an increase of about 15 per cent in online live streaming and on-demand listening in the past year.

Audiences, particularly those aged 16 to 34, are shifting away from live scheduled programming towards on-demand and online content, Ofcom said in its first annual report on the BBC last week.

The regulator said the BBC must therefore take “significant further steps” to engage young people.

“As the BBC recognises, it is not currently doing enough, quickly enough, to reach young people, who are critical to its future success,” Ofcom’s report said.

“It needs to take significant steps to address this issue, to ensure it delivers content that appeals in ways that suit and reflect young people’s viewing and listening habits.”

James Purnell, the BBC’s director of radio and education, is due to formally unveil Beyond Today tomorrow alongside a number of new podcasts available on BBC Sounds, the new website and app for the broadcaster’s radio, podcast and music offerings.

Purnell is expected to say: “Fake news spreads like a virus across social media and the trust audiences have in radio is a potent weapon against it. Audiences increasingly want to listen on-demand so we’re improving our offer to them.”

Beyond Today editor John Shields, previously assistant editor of the Today programme, said: “The best of BBC journalism runs through the veins of Beyond Today, but with added personality and bite.

“It’s a space for busy people who’ll have seen snippets of news on apps and feeds to take a bit of time to figure out what’s going on in the world.

“We’ve got a new production team committed to asking big questions about big stories in the news and beyond with brilliant BBC journalism as its starting point.

“We’re looking forward to developing the podcast over the months as we learn more about getting on-demand news right for podcast listeners.”

Picture: BBC

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The BBC will “fight back” against disinformation globally with a special season of programming aiming to increase media literacy.

The corporation will launch its Beyond Fake News project on Monday with a series of documentaries, special reports and features across its TV, radio and online networks in Europe, the Americas, Africa, India and Asia Pacific.

Jamie Angus (pictured), director of the BBC World Service Group, said he wanted to fulfil a pledge made earlier this year to “move beyond just talking about the global ‘fake news’ threat, and take concrete steps to address it”.

Content from the BBC’s international journalists will include a documentary about how Whatsapp turned an Indian village into a lynch mob, reports on Russia’s disinformation campaign and how Facebook is being used to spread false information in the Philippines.

BBC World News will host a debate with Facebook, Twitter and Google about their role in stemming the spread of “fake news”, hosted by BBC World News presenter Matthew Amroliwala.

Among the programmes airing on UK networks will be Africa editor Fergal Keane reporting on media freedom in Somalia where outlets are being shut down for what their critics call “fake news”. The country is ranked 168 of 180 in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index 2018.

Technology reporter Zoe Kleinman will host an “explainer” for BBC World News and BBC.com about how fake news goes viral online with the unwitting help of social media algorithms and legitimate publishers.

Angus said: “Poor standards of global media literacy, and the ease with which malicious content can spread unchecked on digital platforms mean there’s never been a greater need for trustworthy news providers to take proactive steps.

“We have put our money where our mouth is and invested in real action on the ground in India and in Africa.

“From funding in-depth research into sharing behaviours online, to rolling out media literacy workshops globally, and by pledging to bring BBC Reality Check to some of the world’s most important upcoming elections, this year we’re carving our path as a leading global voice for spotting the problems, and setting out ambitious solutions.”

After hosting digital literacy workshops at UK schools, the Beyond Fake News media literacy programme has now begun delivering workshops in India and Kenya, where it will also host panel debates and hackathons exploring tech solutions.

The BBC will also release new research on Monday into how and why disinformation is shared after being given unprecedented access to encrypted messaging apps in India, Kenya and Nigeria.

Picture: BBC

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