BREAKING. George Entwistle resigns as the director general of the BBC as the British public broadcaster is mired in growing scandal.

You will never see anything remotely resembling this happening at the SABC where no top executives ever step down due to scandal: George Entwistle, the new director general of the BBC has resigned after a widening scandal at the British Broadcasting Corporation.

George Entwistle just resigned after he admitted that the latest - the second - lapse of journalistic integrity and journalism standards at Newsnight, the BBC's version of Carte Blanche, has caused a crisis of trust between the British public and the BBC.

"I have decided that the honourable thing to do, is to step down from the post of director general," George Entwistle said. Wrong journalistic decisions and shoddy journalism at the BBC and the Newsnight programme has done terrible damage to the BBC's reputation.

George Entwistle was only appointed in July and is now out the door at the BBC after seven weeks due to his bad handling of the BBC's journalistic lapses amidst mounting pressure on himself and the BBC.

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

"The BBC should appoint a new leader."

The acting director general will now be Tim Davie as the BBC looks for a new permanent director general. Why is this important? Well Tim Davie, currently in charge of the BBC's radio output and who joined the BBC in 2005, was supposed to take over from the beginning of December as the new chief executive of BBC Worldwide, the BBC's commercial arm.

BBC Worldwide of course supplies the channels such as BBC Entertainment, BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle and CBeebies to MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV service in South Africa. That will clearly now not be happening.

New BBC boss George Entwistle says BBC remains committed to quality programming; will 'simplify' BBC's management structure.

George Entwistle, the new boss and director general of the BBC, in his first speech before the BBC staff in London, emphasised the BBC's continued commitment to quality programming.

George Entwistle told BBC staff at the broadcaster's New Broadcasting House that the BBC must deliver "world-class creativity" and that he believes that "we owe our audiences a determined effort to raise the creative quality of what we do".

George Entwistle also promised a "radical simplification" of the BBC's management structure.

"There's only one thing that will guarantee the future of the BBC - the continuing love and trust of our audiences," he told staff. "We must not stint in our effort to improve the creative quality of what we produce."

He said the emphasis will be put on creative production - "on creative people doing creative things, on our audiences and the exceptional quality of work they deserve".

George Entwistle also announced that he will cut the BBC's management board from 25 to 12. "It will remain increasingly difficult in the years ahead to remain successful in the United Kingdom without success overseas too," he said, underscoring the importance that the BBC remain and grows as an international broadcaster.

"I like working in an environment of creative confidence and respect where nothing is unsayable as long as you find the right way to say it. My aim is to be accessible; to fix any nonsense I find."

BREAKING. George Entwistle appointed as the BBC's new top executive; takes over as director general from Mark Thompson.

George Entwistle has been appointed as the new director general of the BBC. 

George Entwistle, currently the boss of the BBC production unit, BBC Vision, will take over from the outgoing director general Mark Thompson later in the year and who announced his resignation in March.  George Entwistle will earn £450,000 (R5,61 million) per year, less than the £671,000 which Mark Thompson got.


George Entwistle has been working at the BBC since 1989.


"His experience of making and delivering great programmes that audiences love - built up through many years of working for the Corporation - will prove invaluable as he and his team work to ensure the BBC remains the greatest broadcaster in the world," says BBC Trust chairperson Lord Patten in a statement.


"Above all George is passionate about the BBC, is committed to its public service ethos and has a clear vision for how it can harness the creativity and commitment of its staff to continue to serve audiences in ever more innovative ways."


"I'm very excited about all that lies ahead. I love the BBC and it's a privilege to be asked to lead it into the next stage of its creative life," says George Entwistle in the statement.