Should Tim Davie resign over Glastonbury hate chant?

Telegraph

6 hours ago

After it was reported that the BBC director general was at Glastonbury when Bob Vylan chanted 'death, death to the IDF' and was personally consulted over what to do about the performance, there have been calls for him to resign.
Tim Davie was told of the chant soon after it had been made and ruled that the rap duo's set should not be made available to watch on demand.
However, the chant remained on BBC iPlayer for another five hours.
This week, we asked readers: Should Tim Davie resign over the Glastonbury hate chant?
A large proportion, 87 per cent, of 65,000 respondents said yes.
Reader Elvin Reece said: 'Regardless of your views on the Israel and Palestine conflict, it simply isn't appropriate content for our national broadcaster to stream across prime-time television.'
He continues, 'not in my name, not at my cost,' and urges others to 'write to your MPs', adding: 'It's time for non-payment of the licence fee to be decriminalised – so that the public can hold the BBC accountable – and for the BBC to be moved onto a subscription model.'
M. Bonorino concludes that 'the BBC is not impartial now.' The reader recalls when they were younger, the broadcaster was held up for people of all ages, but 'not now!'
'It has lost its appeal and is a disgrace,' they say, adding: 'Standards of the highest have long since gone.'
'Thrust his views on others'
Meanwhile, Ed Sproson asks: 'What about the crowd chanting? If it were a football crowd, the next five games would be behind closed doors.'
Reader R. Ellis says: 'The problem is Vylan's opinion is personal and being on a stage has given him the ability to thrust his views on others without others being able to counter his view at the musical festival.'
'The same method is used by dictators in autocratic countries,' they conclude.
Kristin Warburton found it 'much more frightening actually seeing it than reading about it'.
The reader offers their sympathy 'to our Jewish fellow-countrymen – I am so sorry you are going through this'.
'Subscription model'
Some readers argue that Tim Davie should not resign as BBC director general, but should make changes to the organisation. Others assert Bob Vylan is entitled to free speech.
For example, Andy Rushton suggests: 'This issue alone isn't enough to force Tim Davie out.'
Instead, he wishes there would be an attempt 'to 'right-size' the organisation, to move the entertainment branch to a subscription model, separate from the 'inform and educate' branch, which Davie could argue deserves a licence fee or some other type of public funding'.
J. Walford asks: 'With the BBC having so many employees, surely the Director General is not making operational decisions on a minute-by-minute basis?'
They continue: 'If he is, then the fundamental failure is lack of delegation, systems, safeguards, policies and management. This is the reason Tim Davie should be shown the door.'
Reader A. Tommy 'can't see the problem'. They ask: 'What is the difference between attacking Israel and attacking Putin? I think [Bob Vylan] is entitled to their opinion.'
Likewise, Jim Reid argues: 'The IDF has killed women and children. I think [Bob Vylan] has the right to free speech.'