Of the many lessons arising from this week’s report into the presenter’s alleged bullying and misogyny, one is the corporate cynicism that sustained himMore than 30 years have passed since Tim Westwood joined the BBC, 12 since he left and three since Guardian and BBC journalists reported on allegations of abuse by a man considered by the corporation to be the voice of hip hop. Then this week, some of the many concerns raised during his 19 years working there were detailed in the latest edition of one of the BBC’s weightiest and longest-running series, Official Reports into Men We Employ Behaving Very Badly.Westwood’s career at the Beeb ended in 2013, amid a flurry of accusations and a sense of deja vu best summarised as “oh God, not another one”. But the 174-page report is well worth reading, not just for what it says about the BBC but, as so often with the media, what it says about attitudes in Britain.Jane Martinson is a Guardian columnistDo you have an opinion on the issues raise...
The article discusses the BBC's controversial decision to hire Tim Westwood, a white presenter, to appeal to Black and Asian audiences, highlighting the corporation's flawed approach to diversity. Allegations of bullying and misogyny against Westwood are detailed in a report, alongside criticism of the BBC's superficial efforts to engage minority groups. The piece underscores the lack of genuine diversity within the BBC, despite some progress, and questions the organization's accountability and understanding of minority perspectives.
