Dear Lord Patten....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-19975957


Some of you will have noticed I've been relatively quiet of late. In truth this self-imposed exile has been to allow a situation to develop or perhaps, more appropriately, not develop. You see the enemies of Rangers, within Pacific Quay made what I suspect is a considerable error last month.

It came as a surprise to all of us that BBC Scotland claimed an “exclusive” interview with former Rangers owner Craig Whyte. Much of that surprise was due to the fairly acrimonious relationship the aforementioned appeared to enjoy. After all was in not a series of damaging revelations made by BBC Scotland which caused Whyte to ban them from Ibrox and threaten court action against them ?

Adding to the surprise element was the fact that this media organisation were allowing Whyte such a platform after they had repeatedly over a series of months called into question both his integrity and credibility. And surprise surprise, this “exclusive” interview, and apparent turnaround in attitude by BBC Scotland towards Craig Whyte, emerged as Rangers new owner Charles Green was trying to attract investors to the club by way of a share flotation.

But of course BBC Scotland got gazumped.

For details of that interview were released on internet blogger Phil Mac Giolla Bhain's website on the 16th October under the heading “Hurricane Craigie set to hit Ibrox” a whole day before BBC Scotland released their “exclusive”.

There is no other explanation other than someone at BBC Scotland leaked details of the “exclusive” interview to the internet blogger.

So put yourself in the shoes of the BBC Scotland editorial staff. You obtain something of a media “exclusive” and use licence payers money to facilitate the “scoop” only to find that someone within your organisation has leaked details of the interview to an internet blogger who manages to steal the thunder.

What would you do ?

The words “internal investigation” spring to mind.

Did they have one ? After all someone at Pacific Quay undermined BBC Scotland's exclusivity regarding this interview.

If so was anyone disciplined for this breach of trust ?

If no such internal investigation took place I would like to know why. Particularly when BBC Licence payers money is used to facilitate an “exclusive” interview, which an internet blogger in the Republic of Ireland somehow managed to get the details of before the story was released.

I appreciate Lord Patten is busy with other matters at the moment, perhaps someone else at the BBC Trust will answer my query. After all nothing seems “exclusive” these days....