BBC sorry for ‘missed opportunities’ over DJ Tim Westwood’s ‘bullying behaviour’ | Global News Avenue

The BBC Board of Directors apologized for “missing opportunities” by former BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood in response to “bullying and aversion”.

Independent Report The BBC’s knowledge of Westwood’s behavior, published Tuesday, highlighted a series of incidents and allegations that illustrate “a considerable amount of evidence” but failed to properly investigate it .

The report added that the BBC had “under-records, communicating with those who filed a complaint or concern” and “a strict attempt to address the substance of the problem raised”.

The BBC has previously admitted six complaints about bullying and sexual misconduct. “It’s all false allegations,” DJ said in a video that appeared on social media last year.

Culture Minister Lisa Nandy said the allegations against Mr. Westwood were “very serious” and “there are too many shocking examples of behavior in the media industry”.

The BBC Board acknowledged that it did not “take proper action”, saying: “It is obvious that in the past, the BBC was not only too isolated, but too polite to high-profile people.”

It added: “The board also hopes to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone affected by the review on behalf of the BBC as a whole.”

“Hearing your voice, the discovery of the comments will further intensify the momentum to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

Gemma White KC leads the report commissioned by the BBC Board of Directors in 2022.

More than 120 people contributed to the review and examined thousands of records.

DJ’s lawyer told Ms. White:

• He denied allegations of crime and other misconduct, “confirming that he had never had sexual interest in children under the age of 16.”
• He never acted in a “predatory and/or sexual manner” and “did not (and not) exert any risk on young women on the BBC or otherwise.
• He was “denied the allegations that had the opportunity to defend (report) for the ambiguity of the allegations and the ongoing police investigation.”

Mr Westwood has not responded to a request for comment from the BBC, who held a performance at Oyo State in Nigeria on Monday.

The report highlighted that some employees were uncomfortable with the dissatisfaction raised by DJ’s management.

Those who talk to Ms. White:

• “Due to the importance of ‘talent’ to 1/1/1xtra, they cannot ask questions with senior management or others in senior management.
• “This feeling is that the host is being evaluated on the production staff, and the senior management is likely to be related to the speaker.”

She noted evidence of senior management’s “firm response” to public complaints against DJs, and “they intend to create evidence of an environment where employees can raise concerns”.

However, concerns about workplace misbehavior and the “type of broadcast material” may lead to employees’ concerns about workplace behavior about DJs “will be properly addressed” may feel “lack of form.”

The BBC Board said: “This is a problem for the police except to assess any alleged criminal acts and it is clear that the BBC did not take appropriate action when it comes to understanding the concerns about Mr Westwood’s behavior. .”

It cites evidence of Mr Westwood’s bullying and aversion, which is obvious to the fact that his overall behavior is completely incompatible with the BBC’s values, not just now, but is”.

It added: “The organization fell, failed, including our own staff, and they have the right to get better expectations from us.”

The report costs about £3.3 million.

It found that “Mr. Westwood has no broad or important or BBC knowledge of allegations or concerns about predatory behavior”.

But it says “in some cases, organizations miss out on opportunities that could lead to action.”

The BBC said it has improved its processes.

Nandy’s government summary, which introduced the BBC, said she met with Director General Tim Davie on Tuesday to discuss Tim Westwood’s Report.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman told the BBC: “The full evidence left in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The report is BBC News and Guardians of 2022 Hearing from women, these women have filed allegations of predatory and unnecessary sexual behavior and touching.

The allegations revealed by BBC News spanned this period from 1992 to 2017, when the 67-year-old was at the peak of his career as a leading hip-hop DJ.

In 2022, the BBC News Broadcasting allegations were touched by 18 predatory and unnecessary sexual acts and Mr. Westwood touched women in the alleged incidents from 1992 to 2017.

After the joint investigation, Tim Davie said the claims against DJs were shocking.

He added that he “sees no evidence” to BBC managers about Westwood’s actions.

Davide was the company’s audio and music director from 2008 to 2012, including BBC Radio 1.