BBC apologizes for use of N-word in news report

The BBC has apologized for airing an uncensored racial slur in a news segment, after initially defending the use of the word in a report broadcast last month.

Social Affairs Correspondent Fiona Lamdin used the N-word in a segment on an apparently racially aggravated assault in the city of Bristol, sparking more than 18,600 complaints from viewers.

Tony Hall, director general of the UK's public service broadcaster, apologized in an email to all BBC staff Sunday and said the segment "ended up creating distress amongst many people."

"The BBC now accepts that we should have taken a different approach at the time of broadcast and we are very sorry for that," Hall wrote in the email, which the BBC shared with CNN. "We will now be strengthening our guidance on offensive language across our output."

The broadcaster had intended to highlight an alleged racist attack, wrote Hall, who added that the BBC would continue to report on these stories.

"Every organisation should be able to acknowledge when it has made a mistake. We made one here," he wrote. "It is important for us to listen — and also to learn. And that is what we will continue to do."... (Read more)

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