The recent castigation of the BBC by Lord Hutton in the "Iraq WMD" related news reporting blunder highlights the task of vigilant processes in most newsrooms. Readers will remember similar major gaffes which surfaced in The New York Times articles by Jayson Blair & Lynette Holloway circa May - June 2003).

When a news reporting agency takes sides in a war, the news becomes sensational - and the reporting becomes biased. The story of Dr David Kelly is such a case of biased reporting by the "venerable" BBC.

As is well-known, a large majority of BBC staff (as indeed a majority of common people across the civilized world) were against the Iraq war. However, it seems clear that this sentiment was allowed to develop as a organization theme within the BBC, tending ultimately to bias the reporting against the war. (It is pertinent to mention that during the same war, many other U.S. based news organizations adopted a pro-War stance which also resulted in biased reporting. With more than a little help from the U.S. Army which "safely" carried many journalists along with their troops into the "front lines".)

Both the NYT case as well as the BBC story demonstrate the sheer lack of serious verification of news sources. Add the relentless pressure of competing news agencies along with the consumers' penchant to be entertained - and you have an explosive formula !

Dr David Kelly, CMG
Dr Kelly, a reputed scientist was employed with the U.K. Government. During the 1990s Dr Kelly built up an international reputation as a weapons inspector. The contribution made by Dr Kelly and the importance of his work was recognised by the U.K. Government and in 1996 when he was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG).

In 1991, Dr Kelly became one of the chief weapons inspectors in Iraq on behalf of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) and was deeply involved in investigating the biological warfare program of the erstwhile Iraqi regime.

In 1995, perhaps as a result of Dr Kelly's tireless efforts, the UNSCOM forced the Iraqi regime to admit that it did have a biological warfare program.

Death of a Scientist
The U.K. Government's dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction published on September 24, 2002 included the claim that the Iraqi military were able to deploy chemical or biological weapons with a 45 minutes lead-time (referred to as "the 45 minutes claim").

Nearly 8 months later (on May 30), Ms Susan Watts, Science Editor of BBC Newsnight, had a lengthy conversation with Dr Kelly on the telephone about "the 45 minutes claim" in the Government dossier and the views of the intelligence community about it. (Ms Watts recorded this conversation on a tape recorder and the recording was played in the course of a subsequent inquiry.)

On May 22, 2003, in what was perhaps his only mistake, Dr Kelly met Andrew Gilligan, Defence Correspondent of the BBC Today program, at the Charing Cross Hotel.

Seven days later (on May 29), 2003 Andrew Gilligan broadcast a number of reports on the BBC Today program relating to the Government dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. In the first report at 6.07am (GMT) Andrew Gilligan referred to his meetings with "a senior official" and alleged that the Tony Blair Government probably knew that the 45 minute figure was wrong even before it decided to put it in the dossier, giving rise to a major controversy as it attacked the integrity of the Government.

On June 1, 2003 the Mail on Sunday published an article written by Mr Gilligan describing his discussion with his source in a central London hotel, stating inter alia that "Government's dossier on Iraq's WMD was transformed the week before publication, to make it sexier."

On July 17, 2003 Dr Kelly did not return from his evening walk. On July 18, the Thames police discovered his body - he had bled to death after cutting his left wrist.

BBC Succumbs to Sensational Reporting
As expected, Mr Gilligan's broadcasts on BBC created major controversy, resulting in an inquiry by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee at the House of Commons, followed by appointment of Lord Hutton to conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr Kelly.

On January 28, 2004, Lord Hutton released his report into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly CMG, clearing the U.K. Govt. of any foul play in the death of Dr Kelly. More importantly, he castigated Mr Gilligan as well as BBC for irresponsible reporting, with the following statements *:

... allegations reported by Mr Gilligan on the BBC Today program on 29 May 2003 that the Government probably knew that the 45 minutes claim was wrong or questionable before the dossier was published and that it was not inserted in the first draft of the dossier because it only came from one source and the intelligence agencies did not really believe it was necessarily true, were unfounded ...

... the editorial system which the BBC permitted was defective in that Mr Gilligan was allowed to broadcast his report at 6.07am without editors having seen a script of what he was going to say and having considered whether it should be
approved ...

... the lack of knowledge on the part the Director of News and the Governors ... shows a defect in the operation of the BBC's management system for the consideration of complaints in respect of broadcasts ...

The Final Word
Today's consumer has been brought up on a diet of entertainment. And news organizations seem to have taken up the challenge to entertain ! So it is routine to juxtapose serious news reports with reports based on hearsay. As it is for Page 3 personae to vie for space with hardcore news. The recent appointments of popular comperes & VJs as news anchors confirms this trend.

Mixing serious news with entertainment can be likened to the cosmetic (plastic) surgeon who divides his professional time between cosmetic surgery & life-saving burn cases. The requirements of cosmetic surgery is very minor compared to serious burn cases. Applying the same lack of process to serious burn case therefore, is a "sure-fire" formula for disaster.

The best way to ensure accurate, unbiased news reporting is by enforcing a set of processes to serve as online checks & balances which are then applied equally on serious news as well as less serious reporting.

Something which is easier said than done !

* Based on Lord Hutton's 328 page report into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly CMG - delivered to Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, on January 28, 2004.