News Broadcasting
Dyke hits out at Hutton, says report full of errors
MUMBAI: Any hopes that 10 Downing Street may have harboured that Gerg Dyke, dubbed “Tony’s Crony” when he took the reins at the BBC four years ago, would quietly ride away into the sunset look certain to be dashed.
A day after he quit as BBC director-general, Dyke, who’d said his resignation should draw the line under the Kelly affair as far as the rest of the BBC top management were concerned, fired his first salvo.
Speaking on BBC radio and GMTV television, Dyke said he did not accept all of Lord Brian Hutton’s report into the death of weapons expert David Kelly, saying it was lacking in balance and tainted with errors.
“I would be very interested to see what other law lords looking at Hutton thought of it. There are points of law in there in which he is quite clearly wrong,” Dyke said.
Dyke said he agreed with the departing BBC chairman, Gavyn Davies, that one could not “choose the referee” and had to accept his decision, but quipped: “The government did choose the referee.”
Dyke also blasted prime minister Tony Blair’s former spokesperson and chief spinmaster Alastair Campbell, calling him “remarkably ungracious” for the tenor of his comments in a series of interviews that he gave yesterday. A clearly gloating Campbell stated he had always told the truth and that he had been vindicated by Hutton.
Vindicated by Hutton maybe, but certainly but not so by the British public. A YouGov poll in the Daily Telegraph found that 56 per cent of Britons believed Hutton’s report was a “whitewash”, and that 67 per cent trusted BBC journalists compared with 31 per cent who trusted Blair’s government.
The public response to the whole sorry affair as well as the outpouring of spontaneous support that came from across the rank and file of the BBC might well explain the combative stance that Dyke has taken the “morning after typhoon Hutton” left the Beeb desperately trying to find its bearings again. Dyke’s resignation triggered walkouts and demonstrations by hundreds of BBC staff around Britain.
A comment made last night by John Tusa, the former head of BBC World Service, and reported in The Guardian is relevant in this context. Tusa has been quoted as saying he believed the government’s satisfaction with resignations at the top of the BBC could backfire.
Tusa noted that Dyke had offered an apology on Wednesday when the Hutton report came out, but that he had backtracked on Thursday, questioning the governors’ decision to offer an unreserved apology for the way the corporation handled the Kelly affair.
“If I were the government, I would say this is an argument which is not going to go away, because the two most dangerous men involved are out there and they have got an argument to make,” Tusa was quoted by The Guardian as telling BBC2’s Newsnight.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
