LONDON, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Incoming New York Times chief
Mark Thompson said on Wednesday his U.S. employer had given him
full support since a sexual abuse scandal erupted at Britain's
BBC where he had been in charge until last month.
His handling of the matter at the British institution should
not prevent him from starting the new job, he told Reuters in a
telephone interview from New York.
The BBC has been rocked by accusations of sexual abuse
involving a late TV host, Jimmy Savile, and claims it had
covered up his alleged crimes and dropped its own news expose
whilst Thompson was in charge.
The furore prompted the public editor of the New York Times
to question whether the Briton was now fit to take up
the role of president and chief executive of the respected
American company on Nov. 12 as planned.
"All of my colleagues here in the management team of the New
York Times have been very supportive on this and more broadly as
I prepare to take on the job," he said. "I've been very well
supported as the incoming CEO of this company."
Thompson said he did not know about the investigation by
the BBC's flagship Newsnight programme into Savile, one of the
broadcaster's best known stars for decades, and had had no
involvement in the decision to axe the report.
"I do not believe there is anything that I've done in
relation to this matter which should in anyway impinge on my
abilities to fully discharge the responsibilities I'll have at
the New York Times," he said.
Thompson said he had approached his new employers to explain
his role at the BBC and why he had not dealt with such an issue,
despite being the director general and editor in chief of the
world-renowned organisation.
Under the structure of the corporation, such editorial
matters would be dealt with by the BBC News division and would
not normally reach the corporate level, he explained.
The BBC is a sprawling organisation with 22,000 employees
working at its eight national TV channels, 50 radio stations and
an extensive website.
"Not knowing what they (Newsnight) had, it's very hard to
judge whether it should have been referred or not," he said.
(Editing by Maria Golovnina)
