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BBC Asian Network film show lands in trouble

The BBC Asian Network’s former Bollywood show ‘Film Caf̩’ has come under scrutiny for serious rule breach.

The programme in question was aired on Saturday 17th February at 10:00. In a press statement, the BBC said:

“An audience vote for awards winners in a Bollywood programme, Film Caf̩, was effectively overruled by a member of the production team in two categories, once as a result of an error in reading results and once on the basis that the genuine winner was unavailable for interview.”

The BBC Trust has been carrying out a review of the corporation’s output after several serious editorial breaches were found earlier this year, which included the scheduling of fake competitions. This was then followed with all competitions being suspended on BBC radio, TV and online until the matter was concluded.

Director general Mark Thompson said: “I would like to repeat my apology to viewers and listeners who were misled by these editorial lapses.

“Although these lapses amount to tens of hours across one million hours of broadcasting, the BBC’s standards must be as high in small-scale competitions as they are in the most major news story.”

The BBC announced today that competitions will return to its channels in “phase form” starting in November. It is also expected to give its 16,500 production staff an “unprecedented programme of editorial training” called Safeguarding Trust. The training materials will be made available to other broadcasters and producers.

The BBC Asian Network axed its ‘Film Caf̩’ show in June to path the way for ‘Love Bollywood’.