BBC boss quits amid broadcaster's child abuse turmoil

2012-11-11 12

PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

Just two months into the job and the head of the BBC has quit over a controversial programme about child sex abuse.

SOUNDBITE: GEORGE ENTWISTLE, BBC DIRECTOR GENERAL, SAYING (English):

"In the light of the fact that the director general is also the editor-in-chief and ultimately responsible for all content; and in the light of the unacceptable journalistic standards of the Newsnight film broadcast on Friday 2nd November, I have decided that the honourable thing to do is to step down from the post of director general."

George Entwistle faced criticism after a BBC programme aired a mistaken allegation.

Newsnight falsely implicated a former senior politician in child abuse and the broadcaster was forced to apologise.

The BBC was already facing revelations that its former star Jimmy Savile was a sex offender.

SOUNDBITE: GEORGE ENTWISTLE, BBC DIRECTOR GENERAL, SAYING (English):

"The wholly exceptional events of the past few weeks have led me to conclude that the BBC should appoint a new leader."

Entwistle has admitted he didn't know about the Newsnight programme before it was aired.