The BBC can’t fix it like this

The BBC management cannot have it both ways. They cannot simultaneously insist that the decision to drop the Newsnight investigation into Jimmy Savile was made by the editor of the programme, Peter Rippon, and Peter Rippon alone without pressure from above – and then announce that Peter Rippon’s blog which explained why he had made that decision was inaccurate and misleading. This is the first point upon which the DG, George Entwistle, should be questioned when he comes before the Commons Culture, Media and Sport committee. The second is his puzzling lack of interest when told Newsnight would be investigating Savile – at a time when his Christmas schedules were chock full of Savile tribute programmes.