Editor's note: Roger Bolton on this week's , including an interview with David Jordan, the BBC's Director of Editorial Policy and Standards. the weekly podcast.
Roger Bolton, presenter of
I'm writing this on Thursday afternoon, just after we have recorded , but before the planned release of the evidence given by BBC executives, producers and reporters to the Pollard inquiry into the BBC Savile affair(s).
As it happens, we dealt with a Savile related issue in this week's programme, namely the rebroadcast on 4 Extra of an impressions programme from 1986 which involved a comedienne imitating Jimmy Savile and referring to Sam Fox, a Page 3 model.
The reference had slipped through the net, for which Radio 4 has apologised, but listeners wondered whether that meant that no jokes about Savile could now be made on the BBC. And more broadly, if jokes from almost 30 years ago are to be edited out to conform with contemporary taste, are we in danger of censoring the past and some excellent programmes?
Those are the issues we raised the BBC's Director of Editorial Policy and Standards, David Jordan.
Here is his interview, and some of your correspondence on the issue:
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David Jordan, BBC's Director of Editorial Policy and Standards, talks to Roger Bolton.
On the wider issues involved in the Savile case I'd like to add a couple of things.
As I was a programme editor in the BBC current affairs department in the late 70s and early 80s I have been sent a questionnaire from Dame Janet Smith who is conducting a review into the culture and practices of the BBC during the years that Jimmy Savile worked there.
I don't think I have had a convenient memory lapse but I can't anything significant. Is it that I just did not notice?
My wife, who also worked for the BBC at that time, says that there were a few men "trying it on" with young female researchers and producers but that a robust rejection usually dealt with any problems. (I hope my fellow editors and I would have pounced on any abuse of power.)
Neither of us heard any stories about Savile being involved with underage girls, although everyone did think he was a little weird.
One other thought. If there is another BBC scandal in the future how ready will witnesses be to say what they really think if they know all, or most, of their evidence will be subsequently published?
Roger Bolton
Roger Bolton presents on Radio 4.
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