BBC rapped after charities 'Oscar' blunder (From Daily Echo)

BBC rapped after charities 'Oscar' blunder

10:37am Friday 27th February 2009 in News

THE BBC is again mired in controversy after it spoilt the major award of the night.

Yesterday morning, the public broadcaster announced on television and radio that Naomi House was the big winner of the charity event – 15 hours before the ceremony took place.

The embarrassing blunder occurred during the 7am news bulletins on Radio Solent and during the regional news headlines on BBC Breakfast.

Organisers PAS Charity Recruitment demanded a formal apology after the event took months of meticulous planning.

Director Jenny Warner said: “As far as we know it was an honest mistake. We will be making a formal complaint, but so far we have only received a verbal apology from the BBC.”

A BBC spokesman last night said: “This was the result of a mistake in our newsroom, for which we apologise to both the organisers and nominees.

“There was never any intention to purposely break the embargo, which was misconstrued by one of our journalists and the report was broadcast in good faith.

“We will of course be contacting those concerned to offer our apologies directly.”