Mark Thompson, the legal letter, and the Savile investigation

jtownend — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:09:59 +0000

Stewart Purvis, professor of television journalism at City University London (formerly of ITN and Ofcom) has been carefully tracking the detail around ex-BBC director-general Mark Thompson’s legal interaction with the Sunday Times, following the newspaper’s questions about the BBC’s handling and knowledge of the Jimmy Savile allegations. Purvis’ blog post – and Thompson’s subsequent reaction – has since been picked up by the New York Times, where Thompson recently began work as the company’s CEO.

Background

Purvis’ first post on the topic [14 Nov] detailed a Sunday Times’ story by Miles Goslett* (£), which didn’t appear to have been followed up elsewhere by the media. It described how lawyers acting for Mark Thompson and Helen Boaden, director of BBC News, had responded to questions posed by the Sunday Times in August – they denied allegations about the handling of the Newsnight item and threatened legal action if they were printed. Purvis emphasised the significance of this story (the timings) in his post. Thompson’s reply to Purvis’ post was published here. Purvis has since summarised the resulting coverage here and here.

The Sunday Times’ latest story by Goslett, ‘Former DG feels heat over lawyers’ letter’ (£), reports:

Thompson … has told the Pollard inquiry he was not emailed a copy of the [legal] letter and does not recall being shown it.

Curiously, this fascinating story has received little interest beyond Purvis’ blog, the pages of the Sunday Times and US-based publications…

Purvis has remarked on this too and suggests that the fact that the Times’ story was behind a paywall might be significant.

However, that wouldn’t explain the continued lack of interest, now Purvis and US publications have made the details open-access…

It’s a “potentially explosive” story says the Telegraph’s Tom Chivers, but in his view, the New York Times’ could jazz up its headline a little: “‘Letter Raises Questions’? Seriously? That’s how you want to lead this? That’s your best shot?”

Further reading

New York Magazine: ‘Mark Thompson Had No Idea What Was in That Letter From Mark Thompson’
Poynter: ‘New CEO Mark Thompson ends first week with memo to New York Times staff’
New York Times: Mark Thompson
The Times: ‘‘Mark Thompson’s own paper raises doubts’ (£)

*Goslett was the journalist who first (unsuccessfully) tried to interest Fleet Street in the Newsnight/Savile story, before placing it in the Oldie in February 2012. The newspapers’ reluctance to run it is a topic for another blog post…

Law and Media Round Up – 19 November 2012: Lord McAlpine, Smith v Trafford Housing Trust, Google’s latest Transparency Report

jtownend — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 08:55:58 +0000

Lots to report in this week’s round up: an apology and damages to Lord McAlpine from the BBC, the latest Transparency Report from Google, news that the Principal of St Mary’s University College in Twickenham has dropped its legal action against a Catholic news website, and freedom of expression and belief issues in Smith v Trafford Housing Trust.

Read full round up on the Inforrm blog at this link…

Media law and ethics » bbc newsnight

Mark Thompson, the legal letter, and the Savile investigation

Law and Media Round Up – 19 November 2012: Lord McAlpine, Smith v Trafford Housing Trust, Google’s latest Transparency Report