Rachel Jupp has been appointed director of BBC News, taking over the broadcaster’s news division nearly a year after her predecessor Deborah Turness resigned amid a controversy over the editing of a Panorama programme featuring US President Donald Trump.
Jupp, a former deputy editor of BBC Two’s Newsnight and former editor of Panorama, will oversee around 4,500 staff and join the BBC’s executive committee.
She will take up the role as the BBC undergoes a major restructuring of its news operation. Around 550 jobs have already been earmarked for closure, with further cuts expected as part of wider plans to reduce the corporation’s workforce by between 1,800 and 2,000 positions.
The BBC is seeking to save £500 million over two years as it faces what it describes as significant financial pressures.
“I am honoured to be asked to lead BBC News,” Jupp said. “I want to champion our vital, independent and impartial journalism, deepen the trust people have in the BBC and meet our audiences wherever they are.”
BBC director-general Matt Brittin described Jupp as an “outstanding editorial leader”, praising her news judgement, fairness and editorial standards.
“She brings a clarity of vision for the future, and the determined, collaborative approach needed to strengthen BBC News,” Brittin said.
From Channel 4 to the BBC
Jupp began her journalism career at Channel 4 News in 2005, where she eventually became head of home news. She joined the BBC in 2013 as deputy editor of Newsnight and was appointed editor of Panorama in 2016, remaining in the role until 2020.
She later worked as an editorial executive for BBC Content and, more recently, led the BBC’s editorial work on generative artificial intelligence from the United States.
The BBC’s culture and media editor Katie Razzall said Jupp’s experience with AI was significant, suggesting her appointment could signal a greater focus on how the technology could reshape newsrooms.
Jupp will receive an annual salary of £400,000. Her predecessor Turness was paid a similar amount when she joined in 2022, with her salary later rising to between £445,000 and £449,999.
Jonathan Munro, who has served as interim head of BBC News for the past 11 months, will return to his previous position as deputy director of BBC News.
Brittin thanked Munro for his leadership during the transition, describing his experience and steady approach as particularly valuable during the past year.
Turness resignation followed Trump editing row
Jupp’s appointment comes almost a year after Turness announced her resignation following a controversy over a 2024 Panorama programme that edited a speech by Trump in a way that the BBC later acknowledged had created a misleading impression.
The programme combined two separate sections of a speech Trump delivered in 2021, shortly before the 6 January Capitol riot.
Turness resigned after an internal BBC memo about the episode was leaked to the Telegraph. In her resignation letter, she acknowledged that mistakes had been made but rejected claims that BBC News was institutionally biased.
The BBC’s then-director general Tim Davie also resigned over the controversy and was replaced by Brittin earlier this year.
The BBC apologised for the Panorama edit, saying it had wrongly suggested that Trump had directly called for violent action. However, the corporation rejected his demand for compensation.
Trump subsequently launched a $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC. The case is currently scheduled to go to trial in the United States in 2027.
Be First to Comment