Several times it has occurred that I read an article on the BBC, only to return to it and find that it has changed.  I felt like I was going out of  my mind.  Especially when I’ve told my husband what I’ve read and then can’t find the article to back up my story.  Sometimes, I want to refer to a quote that I read.  But, surprisingly, the quote is gone or changed.  I would have believed that I was suffering from some form of dementia had it not been for the fact that I stumbled onto similar complaints from others.

That was when I discovered that the BBC online writers have a tendency to go back and edit their stories, adding and deleting as they saw fit.  Whether this was due to them discovering that their reporting was in error or if there were new developments, I can’t say.  But it does lead me to wonder how the BBC could consider itself to be an authoritative source if it cannot stick to its story.

When editing, why do these writers not just addend their stories or apologise for any mistakes?  Why must they cover it up by deleting it?  If it was legal writ, this would be fraudulent.  For the BBC to  maintain its status as a prominent and reputable resource, it must adopt similar rules with its journalist.  Don’t print it if it’s not true.  Word it correctly before you publish it.  That’s responsible journalism.  Otherwise, you might find yourself at the center of some controversy or a libel suit.