BBC to apologise for tainted shows on Malaysia

BBC will broadcast a worldwide apology today for having compromised its editorial integrity through programmes involved in the recent “news fixing scandal”, according to news reports.

The UK’s Independent today reported that BBC World News will be broadcasting the apology “from Kuala Lumpur to Khartoum” in four time slots.

The scandal involves FBC Media (UK) that was exposed last year for having produced programmes on behalf of paying clients, to whitewash their public image.

“The company made eight pieces for the BBC about Malaysia while failing to declare it was paid £17m by the Malaysian government for ‘global strategic communications’. The programmes included positive coverage of Malaysia's controversial palm oil industry,” wrote theIndependent.

According to the report, investigations into the scandal “uncovered 15 breaches of editorial guidelines” of which eight were related to FBC’s programmes on Malaysia.

The apology, according to the report, will read:

"In the case of eight other programmes, all of which featured Malaysia, we found that the production company which made the programmes appeared to have a financial relationship with the Malaysian government.

“This meant there was a potential conflict of interest, though the BBC was not aware of it when the programmes were broadcast.”

[More to follow]