Tone

Here's a note extracted from a regular email of encouragement to staff from the BBC Deputy CEO of News and Director of Journalism Jonathan Munro, which, I think, goes too far. 

"One benchmark of the success of investigations is whether they lead to change. Journalism which rights wrongs or corrects errors is always rewarding, never more so than when that correction might save lives. But change can take time. The story we have pursued for many years on smart motorways was one such example, dating back to a Panorama over three years ago, and many other pieces of reporting since. We can’t ever know how many lives will be saved by the decision not to roll out these roads any further, but we can be sure that thorough BBC reporting added to the pressure to change the policy."

I'm no fan of smart motorways, but there's also a previous record of death by accident to those parked on hard shoulders. And the existing 'smart motorways' aren't being changed back, unless, of course, Mr Munro swings his journalism machine behind it.  I'm uncomfortable about a BBC campaigning to change policy where 'saving lives' is apparently obviously on offer; I think the BBC should be providing evidence for voters and politicians to use in making their decisions.