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Some young BBC journalists don't understand impartiality as it hasn't been 'imbued' in them as with previous generations, according to one of the corporation's former executives.
Roger Mosey, the former head of BBC television news, appeared before the House of Lords' Communications and Digital Committee today to discuss impartiality in journalism.
Giving evidence, Mr Mosey referred to Sir Nicholas Serota's report in October, which noted there was an 'opportunity for the BBC leadership team to go further' when addressing impartiality.
He told the committee: 'It’s quite interesting to work back from the Serota report, to the question which I think Tim Davie as director general is rightly addressing.
'So the challenge to impartiality is the fact that some younger journalists don’t understand it in the way it was classically imbued in BBC journalists over the years.
'There’s no particular reason why they should, because they haven’t in some cases had the right training.'
Former head off BBC television news, Roger Mosey,
Mr Mosey said that defining impartiality had become 'ever tougher' for modern journalists because of the pressures of social media.
He added: 'The external definition of due impartiality has broadened, so Ofcom seems to have allowed originally LBC, which is a great radio station, but now GB News [also] to have due impartiality with a slightly different interpretation to the way they would have done 10 or 15 years ago
'The other thing is there has unquestionably been some impact in the BBC from identity politics and the absolutely proper concern about diversity within the BBC, which then sometimes rubs against diversity of opinion externally; and provides more challenges for journalists.'
Professor Richard Sambrook, a former director of global news, also gave evidence before today's House of Lords'
