BBC initiatives aim to restore trust

BBC director general Mark Thompson has set out a number of initiatives he believes will restore trust between the public broadcaster and the British public.

The initiatives, outlined in a speech to MPs in London last night, follow accusations that the public have lost faith in the BBC and other broadcasters, after a string of recent scandals.

Commercial broadcasters ITV, GMTV and Channel 4 were found guilty of running fraudulent phone quizzes, and the BBC has admitted that it made mistakes in putting misleading information about the Queen in a documentary.

The initiatives outlined by Thompson include an attempt to transform the way the BBC connects with the public, by setting up a specific portal which will offer political coverage and analysis to every secondary school in the UK.

Additionally, the BBC says it will work with partners like Reuters Institute and university departments to provide access to its multimedia journalism training and resources.

Meanwhile, Thompson has ruled out calls for tighter regulation of the press, although he admits the relationship between the public and media has been damaged.

Thompson has also declined to end to tough political interviews, saying the public did not want to see “less rigour” in questioning of politicians and public figures.

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