10 November 2012 Last updated at 16:31 ET

George Entwistle resigns as BBC director general

George Entwistle made his statement outside New Broadcasting House

The BBC's director general, George Entwistle, has resigned in the wake of the Newsnight child abuse broadcast.

In a statement given outside New Broadcasting House, Mr Entwistle said: "I have decided that the honourable thing to do is to step down."

Earlier, Mr Entwistle said the Newsnight report, which wrongly implicated ex-senior Tory Lord McAlpine should never have been broadcast.

Mr Entwistle took up the post of director general on 17 September.

In his statement, he said: "In the light of the fact that the director general is also the editor-in-chief and ultimately responsible for all content, and in the light of the unacceptable journalistic standards of the Newsnight film broadcast on Friday 2 November, I have decided that the honourable thing to do is to step down from the post of director general."

'Great honour'

He said that when he was appointed to the role, he was confident BBC trustees had chosen the best candidate for the post and the "right person to tackle the challenges and opportunities ahead".

"However the wholly exceptional events of the past few weeks have led me to conclude that the BBC should appoint a new leader," he said.

"To have been the director general of the BBC even for a short period, and in the most challenging of circumstances, has been a great honour.

"While there is understandable public concern over a number of issues well covered in the media - which I'm confident will be addressed by the review process - we must not lose sight of the fact that the BBC is full of people of the greatest talent and the highest integrity.

"That's what will continue to make it the finest broadcaster in the world."

Source : bbc[dot]co[dot]uk