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Newsbeat editor removed from post for ‘bullying’
By Aly Barchi | Published on Friday 24 January 2014
The BBC has moved the editor of Radio 1’s ‘Newsbeat’, one Rod McKenzie, from his position following an inquiry into alleged ‘bullying’. McKenzie denies the claims made against him, which centre on accusations that he’d shown favouritism towards a small group of employees, and shouted at others.
Whilst said accusations span the past 20 years, they were most recently included in the BBC-commissioned Dinah Rose QC’s ‘Respect At Work Review’. Set up in May 2013 in the wake of the Savile-gate scandal, it was designed to look into instances of inappropriate behaviour within the corporation. The National Union Of Journalists later made a formal complaint about McKenzie, citing the Dinah Rose Review, on behalf of over 20 employees.
Having reportedly received a final written warning, McKenzie has been reassigned to an unconfirmed alternative post at the Beeb, leaving Newsbeat’s one-time deputy Kevin Silvetton to serve as acting editor of the programme.
The Independent quotes a source close to McKenzie as saying: “He strongly rejects these claims and maintains that his behaviour is entirely in keeping with a pressurised news environment”, adding that McKenzie is pleased to note the “most lurid” claims have been dismissed and that, whilst he didn’t have favourites, is said to have argued that “a favourite is a high achiever by another name”.
