11 November 2012 Last updated at 05:25 ET
BBC needs 'radical overhaul', says Lord Patten
Lord Patten: ''I didn't try to argue him out of it because I think he'd made his mind up''
A "thorough, radical, structural overhaul" of the BBC is necessary in the wake of the resignation of the director general, BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten has said.
George Entwistle quit last night after a controversial Newsnight report led to a former Tory treasurer being wrongly accused as a child abuser.
Lord Patten said he did not try to persuade Mr Entwistle from leaving.
A new director general would be chosen within weeks, he said.
Lord Patten said talks about the next director general would begin on Sunday, but in the meantime the acting director general, Tim Davie, would be given full support to do the job.
Before his departure, Mr Entwistle had commissioned a report from BBC Scotland director Ken MacQuarrie into what happened with the Newsnight investigation. He was expected to report on Sunday.
Newsnight reported on 2 November abuse victim Steve Messham's claims against a leading 1980s Tory politician, but withdrew his accusation a week later, saying he had been mistaken.
Lord McAlpine, although not named on Newsnight, was identified on the internet as the subject of the allegations. He said the claims were "wholly false and seriously defamatory".
Mr MacQuarrie's report is not the only inquiry into Newsnight.
One inquiry is examining whether there were BBC management failings surrounding the decision not to broadcast a Newsnight programme about sex abuse claims surrounding the late BBC presenter Jimmy Savile.
Another inquiry has begun into the culture and practices at the BBC in the era of alleged sexual abuse by Savile. Another review is to examine sexual harassment policies at the BBC.
Lord Patten said his own job was to show licence fee-payers "that the BBC has a grip, that we get ourselves back on the road".
Source : bbc[dot]co[dot]uk
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