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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
The Jouker

BBC Scotland issues correction on its own correction in double blunder

BBC Scotland has issued a correction on its initial correction after the broadcaster discovered it, too, contained “inaccurate phrasing”.

Quite a blunder!

The broadcaster initially apologised and issued a correction on its website after inaccurate reporting on a story concerning Health Secretary Michael Matheson over his near-£11,000 data roaming bill racked up during a holiday to Morocco.

Michael Matheson admitted to MSPs in November last year that his teenage sons had used the device as a hotspot to watch football during a holiday in January, incurring costs of more than £7000 in one day as a result of an out of date sim card.

The BBC initially reported that the data had been used to watch football “on the iPad” rather than through the device’s hotspot. It then apologised that “our language wasn’t clear enough” and said it had “reminded programme teams of the importance of clarity when reporting details like this”.

Well, the team who issued the apology didn't seem to take its own advice, as the BBC has now been forced to issue an addendum to correct the initial apology due to “inaccurate phrasing subsequently brought to the BBC’s attention”.

The full addendum reads: “This note has been updated to cover instances of the inaccurate phrasing subsequently brought to the BBC’s attention after an initial complaint about one such instance”.

Following a failed challenge over the hefty bill to provider EE, Matheson initially agreed to pay £3000 from his own expenses and the remaining balance was paid by his office – all of which is funded by taxpayers.

But following press reports about the bill, he said he would cover the full cost personally.

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