“Ambiguity” To Blame For BBC Gary Lineker Row, Says Ofcom Boss
deadline.com“Ambiguity” around social media guidelines was to blame for the BBC Gary Lineker scandal, according to Ofcom boss Melanie Dawes, who was challenged on the “creeping politicization” of UK TV news during a committee hearing this morning.
Dawes, whose regulator has oversight of many elements of the BBC, said it is right that the corporation “retains responsibility for their own social media guidelines,” as the BBC prepares to launch a review into these guidelines as trade-off for Lineker returning to his Match of the Day hosting duties.
Speaking to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee (DCMSC) this morning, Dawes said there was “ambiguity” in the current guidelines that was “designed to give a degree of flexibility but didn’t achieve what the BBC wanted,” leading to the furore.
Her comments came after Deadline revealed the BBC had failed to heed a recommendation three years ago that it examine rules for freelance presenters such as Lineker, which differ to the rules that news presenters must follow.
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