BBC Guilty Of Leaving Staff “Dangling” After They Make Power Abuse Complaints, Says Chairman

deadline.com:

BBC chairman Samir Shah has said the British broadcaster is guilty of leaving employees “dangling” after they make misconduct complaints about colleagues.

Delivering his first major speech since being appointed earlier this year, Shah said the BBC must do more to reassure staff members that they are being taken seriously after making abuse of power complaints.

Shah was speaking after the BBC has been plagued by high-profile misconduct issues, including news anchor Huw Edwards accessing child abuse images and concerns about training methods on Strictly Come Dancing. “There continues to be a sense that powerful people ‘get away with it;’ that people who have had the courage to complain are left dangling; that more visible action needs to be taken when someone is found to have crossed the line.

And frankly, for everything to be done a great deal quicker,” Shah said. The BBC board has launched a workplace culture review to address these concerns, with consultancy Change Associates appointed to oversee the work.