Londoners voiced mixed reactions outside the BBC headquarters after senior executives resigned amid a scandal over the misleading edit of US President Donald Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech. The controversy arose after the broadcaster acknowledged that footage from two different moments had been combined, altering Trump's remarks - a revelation that sparked widespread criticism and demands for accountability.
"I think it's unbelievable. They make it sound like it was a mistake, rather than two pieces of things being spliced together," said Michael, a passerby outside the BBC offices. "Trustworthiness, I’m going to give them five, because it's really plummeted," he added.
Another respondent, Estibando, expressed anger at what he described as 'misleading' coverage of both Trump and recent global conflicts. "They’ve lost trust," the man said, adding, "I grew up with them. These are the places I went to - and I can no longer rely on them."
For others, the resignations were seen as a necessary step to restore integrity. "The BBC has betrayed journalism," said Sultana, a Saudi-British resident. "He made the right decision to resign. In my father’s days, it was ten out of ten. Now, it’s six or seven," he added.
Some also pointed to a wider decline in media credibility. "They go with whatever the government says," Ethan shared, adding, "Even when I was younger, the BBC was the news station you’d go to. Over time, they’ve just lost a lot of trust."
The resignations came after days of criticism from politicians, media analysts, and rival broadcasters, including GB News, which first reported on the edited segment. The BBC said it had launched an internal investigation to 'restore confidence' and reaffirm its commitment to impartial journalism.
The controversy centres on a BBC News report that aired a shortened version of President Trump's 2021 speech during the January 6 Capitol riot. The report allegedly cut out parts where Trump called on his supporters to 'peacefully' march to the Capitol, leading critics to accuse the broadcast of implying direct incitement to violence. This prompted Trump's legal team to threaten legal action for defamation in both the UK and the US.
Trump described the edit as a deliberate act of political propaganda in a Truth Social post. Meanwhile, the BBC’s director-general and head of news resigned within 48 hours of the revelations.
Former BBC News CEO Deborah Turness has said that the corporation 'is not institutionally biased' in her first public comments since announcing she was stepping down.
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