Report criticises BBC business reporting

A report commissioned by the former BBC governors says the corporation has a "lack of specialist knowledge" when it comes to business-led content.

Compiled by a six-strong independent panel led by Sir Alan Budd, the reports said that on the whole the corporation's business coverage was impartial, and the BBC is not "anti-business" as some believe.

But the review also found that BBC business coverage was reported mainly from the consumer angle, rather than any other. It added that the BBC could be unbalanced, but only because many of its journalists had not worked in the business world and so had a "lack of awareness."

The report recommends the BBC develops a training programme for staff, and that it treats coverage in future from the perspective of workers and investors, not just consumers.

BBC management will consider the report's findings and respond to the Trust by the end of July.