Category: ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½; News
Date: 06.09.2005
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Michael Grade, Chairman of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½, said:
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"I am grateful to the Director-General for his swift response to my request for a report on John Humphrys' comments to the Communications Directors' Forum.
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"The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s independence is vital to the provision of public service news and other programming that is recognised as being impartial and accurate. It is the duty of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Governors to protect that independence from any political or commercial influence and we shall never shirk that responsibility. Likewise, everyone employed by the Corporation carries the responsibility of protecting the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s reputation and credibility for accuracy and impartiality.
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"I have read the report and the available transcript and am satisfied by the conclusions reached by the Director-General. It is essential that no public comments made by ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ presenters and journalists should ever be perceived to compromise the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s independence or its reputation for impartiality and the highest standards in journalism.
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"I am pleased to draw a line under this episode and, at the same time, reassure those who pay for the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ through their licence fee of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s continued commitment to independence, impartiality and accuracy."
