Host: Cath Leng

Guests: Sam Smith & Edwina Wolstencroft, both former BBC journalists

In this special episode, Cath is joined by Sam Smith and Edwina Wolstencroft to unpack the shock resignations of BBC Director General Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness. The discussion centres on the leaked dossier to the BBC Editorial Standards Board which alleged serious editorial failings across three areas:

* The “Trump edit” in Panorama,

* Coverage of the Gaza conflict, and

* The BBC’s handling of sex and gender reporting.

Together, the panel explore the culture that led to these crises and the failures of leadership that followed including the role of independent editorial advisers such as Michael Prescott.

Key themes discussed:

* How the Serota Review and its follow-ups brought in external advisers to address editorial bias.

* The BBC’s inability to act on evidence of bias in its coverage of sex and gender.

* The internal fear and self-censorship among BBC journalists trying to raise legitimate editorial concerns.

* The role of the “Learning and Identity Hub” in shaping newsroom narratives.

* How the complaints process and style guide perpetuate institutional bias.

* Why the BBC’s response - endless “reviews” instead of reform - has become part of the problem.

* What a genuinely impartial editorial policy on sex and gender might look like.

Notable quotes:

“They’ve hopped out of the battle and here we are stuck in a doom loop of having to start all over again. It’s built into the bricks… like wall insulation. You can’t just scrape it out.” – Cath

Why it matters:

This episode offers an insider’s view of a broadcaster wrestling with its own values. It’s a candid look at how institutional culture, fear of activism, and risk-averse management can stifle editorial courage and what needs to change if trust in journalism is to be rebuilt.

Listen now on:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Substack | seeninjournalism.com

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