The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is in considerable trouble over the Donald Trump documentary. This documentary was part of the BBC's flagship current-affairs series, Panorama, which dealt with the US President Donald Trump. The BBC has accepted that there was "an error of judgement" in its edit of Donald Trump's speech delivered on January 6, 2021, which gave a misleading impression. Samir Shah, the BBC's Chair, has said they will provide an apology and review all errors.Aired in October 2024, the documentary pulled together two elements of Donald Trump's speech, therefore appearing as one continuous call to violence. The BBC says the footage:"did give the impression of a direct call for violent action."On Sunday, Tim Davie, the Director-General of the BBC, and Deborah Turness, the CEO of BBC News, both resigned. Their resignations came under the pressure of the documentary and how the BBC handled complaints internally. Trump's lawyers sent a letter to the BBC threatening legal action for at least US$1 billion if it did not fully retract, apologize, and compensate him.What did Samir Shah, the Chair of the BBC, say about the Donald Trump documentary?Samir Shah said that the BBC accepts there was an "error of judgement" in how the speech was edited. He wrote to the UK parliamentary Culture, Media & Sport Committee that the edit "did give the impression of a direct call for violent action."He also said the BBC will apologize for that edit and that the corporation is considering how to respond to Donald Trump's legal letter."We will review the letter and respond directly in due course."Samir Shah rejected claims that the BBC is "institutionally biased." He said that while individual errors have happened, the idea of systematic bias is "simply not true."Reflecting on the timing, Samir Shah said that in hindsight, the BBC board would have been better to act earlier on the matter. He admitted the board and senior management should have taken more formal steps when warned.BBC Bosses Resign Over Allegations Of Bias In News Coverage - Source: GettyWhat happens next?The controversy matters because the BBC is one of the world's most respected news organizations. Public trust depends on its impartiality and accuracy. The fact that its top two executives resigned shows how seriously this is taken. The BBC must now restore credibility.Donald Trump's legal threat heightens the stakes. The letter asks for a complete and fair retraction of the documentary, an apology, and fair compensation for "the harm caused." If the BBC does not do this, the case may move to the US courts. Samir Shah's statements will be closely watched. He has promised internal reviews and a recommitment to fairness, but critics say formal accountability was delayed. As Mr. Shah noted, the BBC board was upset by the resignations.Visegrád 24 @visegrad24LINKDonald Trump threatens to sue the BBC for $1 billion over edited speech scandalDonald Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion, accusing the broadcaster of manipulating his speech. The BBC confirmed it received a letter from Trump's lawyer, Alejandro Brito.The scandal erupted after BBC Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News head Deborah Turness announced their resignations following revelations that Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech had been edited in a Panorama broadcast.A leaked 19-page report showed that producers spliced together parts of Trump’s remarks to make it seem as if he encouraged violenceThe funding and charter arrangements also face scrutiny. The BBC's current Charter runs until 2027, and concerns are mounting regarding the broadcaster's governance, impartiality, and future role.In the meantime, Samir Shah stated that the BBC made an error in the edit and will apologize while investigating how the mistake occurred. He also emphasized that the corporation rejects the notion of systemic bias, even as it faces legal scrutiny and a change in leadership.