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Can the BBC’s reputation survive the Princess Diana interview scandal? It needs to get its house in order

What emerges from this sorry tale is that the corporation is an unnecessarily complicated place to work, writes Janet Street-Porter

Friday 21 May 2021 20:14 BST
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<p>Press reaction to the BBC’s Princess Diana interview in 1995</p>

Press reaction to the BBC’s Princess Diana interview in 1995

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Following Lord Dyson’s report, the BBC (once again) finds itself in the dock, with the government threatening to force changes in the way the corporation is governed and run. This time, it’s serious. Having reported on fake news, now our national broadcaster stands accused of the same thing.

Dyson’s findings lay bare the way the BBC, having found out about the fake documents used to entice Lord Spencer to introduce his sister to Martin Bashir, failed to conduct a proper investigation and continued to exploit and benefit commercially from a programme which had been produced in very dubious circumstances.

Having worked at the BBC until 1994, the year before the Panorama interview with Princess Diana, I am not surprised. The BBC was (and still is) far too self-satisfied and overconfident in its abilities to police itself. And to paper over any shortcomings for fear of government interference. Indeed, my old boss John Birt – director-general at the time – told Lord Dyson that he thought it was “perfectly reasonable” for the BBC to take Bashir at his word during the initial investigation into the interview that Lord Dyson called "woefully ineffective".

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