THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS COME TO THE DEFENSE OF THE BBC, AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF BIAS FROM ITS CRITICS AND THE THREAT OF A LAWSUIT FROM DONALD TRUMP OVER THE WAY THE BROADCASTER EDITED A SPEECH HE MADE AFTER LOSING THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

CRITICS HAVE DEMANDED AN OVERHAUL OF THE BBC’S FUNDING AND GOVERNANCE.

SOUNDBITE (English) Lisa Nandy, U.K. Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport:

"At a time when the lines are being dangerously blurred between fact and opinion, news and polemic, the BBC stands apart."

++WHITE FLASH++

SOUNDBITE (English) Lisa Nandy, U.K. Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport:

"It is a light on the hill for people here and across the world. Trusted news and high-quality programming is essential to our democratic and cultural life. All of us in this House should value it, uphold it and fiercely defend it."

THE BBC APOLOGIZED FOR MISLEADING EDITING OF A SPEECH TRUMP DELIVERED ON JAN. 6, 2021, BEFORE A CROWD OF HIS SUPPORTERS STORMED THE CAPITOL IN WASHINGTON.

IT SPLICED TOGETHER THREE QUOTES FROM TWO SECTIONS OF THE SPEECH, DELIVERED ALMOST AN HOUR APART, INTO WHAT APPEARED TO BE ONE QUOTE IN WHICH TRUMP URGED SUPPORTERS TO MARCH WITH HIM AND “FIGHT LIKE HELL.”

AMONG THE PARTS CUT OUT WAS A SECTION WHERE TRUMP SAID HE WANTED SUPPORTERS TO DEMONSTRATE PEACEFULLY.

A LAWYER FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DEMANDING A RETRACTION, APOLOGY AND COMPENSATION OVER THE ALLEGEDLY DEFAMATORY SEQUENCE.

THE BBC’S TOP EXECUTIVE, TIM DAVIE, AND HEAD OF NEWS, DEBORAH TURNESS, HAVE ALREADY BOTH RESIGNED.

SOUNDBITE (English) Tim Davie, outgoing director-general of the BBC:

"I see the free press, I see the weapon, under pressure, I see the weaponization. I think we've got to fight for our journalism."

SOME BBC VIEWERS WANT THE BROADCASTER TO DO BETTER.

SOUNDBITE (English) Amanda Carey, 60-year-old British person:

"Well I actually think it's quite shocking. It's something that should never have happened."

SOUNDBITE (English) David Abraham, 77-year-old British person:

"They need to get their organization sorted so that in the future we can look at the BBC with confidence."

TRUMP'S LAWYER SAID IF THE BBC DOESN'T COMPLY, THEY WILL FACE LEGAL ACTION FOR $1 BILLION IN DAMAGES.