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BBC Director General George Entwistle leaves Parliament on Tuesday after giving evidence to a select committee where he denied charges of a cover-up.
The predatory pedophilia of a former British radio and TV celebrity has shaken the BBC to its foundations, as the broadcaster struggles to reconcile itself to charges of mismanagement and allowing an "unacceptable culture" of sexual abuse to go unchecked for decades.
Jimmy Savile, who died in October 2011 two days before his 85th birthday, rose to fame in the 1960s as a dance-hall promoter and later BBC radio disc-jockey. In the 1970s, 80s and 90s, he was a regular fixture of the BBC TV schedules, where his popular, family-oriented shows attracted top ratings. He was honored by the queen, networked with politicians and celebrities and was feted for his charity fundraising and good works.
But in the months since Savile's death, a catalog of accusations has emerged, stretching from 1959 to 2006, in what London's Metropolitan Police described as "abuse on an unprecedented scale."
It has also come out that Savile's sexual exploitation of children may have been known to some people at the time, including former colleagues and managers at the BBC, who failed to report or act upon the rumors and accusations. What's more, it has been revealed that in late 2011, the BBC axed an investigative news item into Savile's pedophilia at the same time that it was planning a Christmas tribute program to him.
UK in turmoil after multiple claims kids' entertainer molested children for years
The head of the BBC denied on Tuesday helping to cover up the allegations but accepted that it had been damaged by the crisis.
In a BBC TV documentary broadcast Monday night, Panorama investigated the original news item, which was to have aired on BBC TV's Newsnight program until it was shelved by the Newsnight editor.
By accessing the original Newsnight video and interviews, Panorama drew a portrait of Savile as a shrewd, calculating and devious predator who preyed on vulnerable young people. Among the accusers were some victims who said Savile had sexually abused them in his BBC dressing room after he recorded his TV shows.
Panorama also looked into the circumstances that led to the Newsnight item being dropped.
Suggestions that it was dropped as part of a BBC cover-up were refuted in a blog by the program's editor, Peter Rippon, who wrote, "I was told in the strongest terms that I must be guided by editorial considerations only and that I must not let any wider considerations about the BBC affect my judgement."
However, on Monday Rippon "stepped aside" from his post as the BBC issued a correction to his blog, in which it became clear that Rippon had made factual errors about what the BBC had known. In particular, the correction clarified that there were "some allegations of abusive conduct on BBC premises."
'Broader cultural problem'
BBC director-general George Entwistle was quizzed on Tuesday about all of this by a parliamentary select committee into the BBC's handling of the affair.
Although he denied the BBC was facing "its worst crisis in 50 years", Entwistle said Savile's alleged behavior had been possible only because of a "broader cultural problem" at the BBC.
When pressed by parliamentarians for detail, Entwistle told them, "We are looking at between five and 10 serious allegations relating to activities over the whole period in question, the Savile period." He added the allegations included claims of sexual harassment made against people still working at the BBC, but could not say how many.
The director-general's grilling created an impression of BBC management out of touch with the broadcaster's day-to-day running.
Instead of evidence of management interference in editorial matters, committee members described themselves as "astonished" at the "lack of curiosity" exhibited by senior management into rumors and "water-cooler" revelations.
The BBC has announced two independent reviews into the Savile affair: one looking at how the abuse he is accused of could have been allowed to happen, and the other looking into the circumstances of the shelved Newsnight item.
Meanwhile, the police enquiry into Savile's activities has developed into a criminal investigation which has yet to establish the full extent of his crimes. Police are following more than 400 lines of enquiry involving more than 200 potential victims.
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reads the headline. Were they using their left hand?
"BBC ripped for handling of sex abuse scandal tied to former host"
I see handling not handing...Maybe they edited it??
Yes.. "Handing sex abuse", was the whole hand used? or just fingers?
I prefer index finger, middle finger and thumb.
It should be shaken to the foundation, all the way to the ground , IF THE ALLEGATIONS ARE TRUE. This behavior is unacceptable any where in the world. Children are all ours, they should be protected and cared about by everyone that walks this earth. They are not. They seem to going the way of our culture, down the toilet.
Look at Michael Jackson, O.J. Simpson, Eric Holder ect...
Does not matter what you did, matters who you are.
Michael Jackson? Eric Holder? Are you off your meds today??? Can you describe what crimes either of those named were guilty of? ....Crickets...
Michael Jackson was proven innocent ya fool! His accuser came out and admitted that he lied for money.
Is this the same BBC that crucified the Catholic Church over this very issue?
Unfortunately this is so typical of these situations. You have a powerful person doing bad things and yet nothing is done...until finally it comes to light and all of a sudden the floodgate opens. This is typical pack mentality: kiss up to the leader, until they fall, then rip out their throat and anything else you can get.
My point being this should have happened a LOOONG time ago, but due usually to fear of reprisals, nothing is done until it is waaay toooo late. I won't hold my breath that this pattern will change anytime soon, however, the press is tending to bring them to light much more often than in the past.
My personal experience tells me that upper management & supervisors are NOT doing their jobs. They all want the 'title', they all want the 'power' and they certainly want the 'money' but they have no interest in actually doing the job. I see this over and over where I work and I think to myself no wonder this country is in a mess. No one wants to step up to the plate and do the right thing-and it is especially hard when the weakest links are ALWAYS the links with the most power and no scruples........
The BBC's little house of horrors.
Wow, Sandusky is small potatoes compared to this guy! Child rape is still something we can't seem to face up to as a society.
Not really small potatoes, it's just that the whole story hasn't come out about Sandusky. Currently, Penn St is in discussions with 20 different young men regarding lawsuits. The average pedophile has 300 different victims in his lifetime. Sandusky was no average pedophile with his accessibility to potential victims through The Second Mile. As only 1 in 40 cases get reported and 22 young men have come forward, that would indicate at least over 800 victims for the Tickle Monster. The actual count may reach into the thousands.
6' -7" accused pedophile, Sylvain Kustyan, charged with two counts of 1st Degree Sodomy of a ten-year-old little boy, upon learning of imminent arrest, fled the country to his native France, where he is free to continue preying on innocent little French boys. As the average pedophile has 300 different victims in his lifetime, these menaces need to be gotten off the streets. As an English teacher in France, Kustyan took several groups of middle-school children to England and Ireland on school trips.
Average 300 victims. Where did you get the information?
If Justice was a real person she would be long dead and spining in her grave. This is our and what looks to be like the worlds new "Justice" system.
Favor the rich, F the poor. Favor The Women, F the men. Favor the law enforcement, F every one eltce.
This planet really needs to get it's prioritys in line so that no matter the persons gender, color, creed, ocupation, or wealth, if you commit a crime you get punished as the crime fits. Let the punishment fit the crime period. Not "let the punishment fit the crime olny if you have no power or welth".
Favor the women????? I don't know where you get that. So are you saying, on average, women get paid more than men for doing the same job? And on average, there are far more women than men in high ranking positions in the private and public sector? Really??? Better check your facts on that one.
Savile has been dead for a year. Why are these accusations just now being made? Let's wait and see how many books get published off of this that financially benefit the accusers at the expense of a dead man.
You must be from Wisconsin. That's the only place I can think of where that holds true.
Well, the blood is in the water and the sharks are circling. It couldn't happen to a better organisation than BBC. I hope they never fully recover. I hope they permanently lose any credibility with the public.
Yes indeed, what goes around comes around.
Would like to add to my post above that accused pedophile, Sylvain Kustyan, is the author of a leading children's textbook which is published by a major publishing company that has been made aware of the charges (two 1st Degree Sodomy of a ten-year-old little boy and two counts of 1st Degree Sexual Abuse of a Minor) against Mr. Kustyan.
Well, there goes the royalties. (to the book sales)
People like this make me want to puke.
But even worse are the people who let them get away with stuff.
Please don't judge the whole BBC network. They are a proud and honourable corporation and I firmly believe if the higher-ups heard about this - action would have been swift and not too good for the perpetrator. People are so quick to rush to judgment before all the facts are in. The American media is quick to rush stories into press before all the facts are known. However, I hardly ever see an apologize if they got it wrong. Don't ruin a reputation unless you know it happen. If this really did happen I hope he goes to prison and gets what he deserves while in there. Pedophiles are not tolerated in prison.
One last thought ... think of all the wonderful things that the BBC has created. Don't let one person spoil all the enjoyment the BBC has given us over the years.
I think the accused pedophile is dead. He died last year...The people in trouble now are the BBC network...
And I agree, let's not judge BBC...
I, also, appreciate the BBC. I, also, had a lot of respect for Joe Paterno.
Unfortunately, your mindset is exactly what predators are counting on. They appear to you to be good people of status, so you cannot possibly accuse or suspect them unless you have overwhelming proof. Meanwhile, they continue their abuse of children or get away with embezzlement or running a ponzi scheme for years. What explains the decision to pull the documentary other than a blatant cover up?
Good one Mel!
The BBC-- "Big Bunch of Cowards"
(The late) Jimmy "the pedo" Savile looks like a really creepy version of Marty Feldman....
And yes...lol,I too appreciate the BBC,and I,also, had alot of respect for joe paterno.
Everyone should take note that MSNBC avoids stating that this guy was a homosexual. Yet another homosexual deviate, but MSNBC and the rest of the liberal media avoid stating that these perverts and child abusers are homosexuals.
I have always wondered why the media is almost without exception (FOX) very liberal. Is it because the media in general is controlled gays and lesbians, fear the less tolerant treatment they receive from many republicans? This would certainly offer at least one explanation.
One may only hope that some day in the not too distant future the media will return to its stated mission of reporting the news, rather than attempting to create the news.
Not every homosexual is a pedophile...They are people just like you and me. Some good and some bad...Men molest little girls, women molest little boys...they are not homosexuals...just sickos. The men that molest boys are homosexuals etc...but I disagree with what you said about:
"these perverts and child abusers are homosexuals"
"BBC ripped for handling of sex abuse scandal tied to former host"
I see handling not handing...Maybe they edited it??
Anyways, if this is true and BBC did not take heed then they are in serious trouble!!! However, BBC could be very innocent in this. Even if the guy was a pedo, I don't think BBC is so stupid as to cover up something like that especially being a part of the media. Obviously it would get out...
And we're supposed to believe the BBC wonderful reporting about, oh I don't know WMD's in Iraq, while they are leting people get away with buggering little boys? Not!
I agree JT. If some of the folks at the BBC were capable of turning a blind eye to jimmy the pedo, it'll be difficult to believe anything they say, anymore.
In future, I'll take ANY news reports coming out of the BBC with a grain of salt.
They can't be trusted to oust a sexual predator in their midst--they probably can't be trusted to accurately report on much of anything factual, or relevant.
@ capaleen,this is the best response to the article "They can't be trusted to oust a sexual predator in their midst--they probably can't be trusted to accurately report on much of anything factual, or relevant".
Oh no. I can't believe this at all. Those wonderful Europeans just are not capable of wrongdoing. Especially something like this. It just can't be real. All my thoughts of wonderful Royal families, Big Ben, Spice girlies, Beattles... gone. Say it aint so. Ya, ok. Must have been a Bush plot.
It looks like the perp got away. Whatcha gonna do?
BBC is the NPR of Europe. They feel they are above the law.
The man dies, and then the allegations surface?
Nothing to see here folks.
"he molested children in his derssing room after he recorded his tv show" wtf? was this part of his contract?
Even if he had a contract with the children for services, it won't hold up.
Of course you can't indict a corpse, nor sue it over a contract issue.
Sexual abuse is rampant and, often, well hidden. It is everywhere and, often, committed by conservatives
and all of the people who condemn other people for their so-called 'lack of morality'. Evidently, it's okay to
abuse the people that they condemn. That's definitely a perverted kind of 'morality'.
Romney doesn't do anything about it. Obama just sits back, and waits for someone else to do something
about it. The two-party political system doesn't work!
Child molesters are very clever and have many allies this has been proven over and over again.