BBC slated over failings in North Korea video probe

The Trust said the BBC failed to ensure the students were aware of the risks involved, which was judged to be a “serious failing”.

And it concluded there had been “unfair treatment” of the LSE by being linked to the BBC’s investigation.

For the programme, North Korea Undercover, reporter John Sweeney spent eight days in the country, joining an organised tour and pretending to be part of the student group. The trip had actually being organised by Sweeney’s wife Tomiko Newson.

The film was condemned by senior officials from the LSE who asked for the programme to be pulled, but it was screened as planned in April 2013 which led to a complaint from the father of one of the students in the group.

Although the Trust believed there was a “strong public interest” in the broadcast, it said the BBC “failed to consider a number of important issues and risks, and failed to deal with them appropriately”.

In its report published today the Trust’s editorial standards committee said: “The provision of information to the students who took part in the trip was insufficient and inadequate, and meant the daughter of the complainant did not possess the knowledge necessary to give informed consent.”