Mark Byford: In wartime the BBC shows its true colours

Taken from a speech given by the director of the BBC World Service and Global News, delivered at the AIB Media Business Conference 2003, in London

The past few weeks have been truly remarkable at the BBC. We were providing a lifeline service of trusted information to the Iraqi people through the BBC Arabic Service, while at the same time coalition forces were tuning in to the World Service in English on the battlefield and as they advanced to Baghdad; meanwhile at Central Command in Doha they were watching BBC World.

That's quite a role and quite a responsibility. During the war, we reported every day on the toll of dead and wounded, and all too often, to our sorrow and dismay, that included broadcasters and journalists.

As broadcasters, we must all ensure that our journalists and broadcasting teams undergo hostile environment safety training as a matter of course.

We must be equally robust in defending editorial freedom and independence. As with most conflicts, news organisations ran into criticism from all sides in this war. The BBC was variously accused of following a script written by the White House and Downing Street or of fostering sympathy for Saddam Hussein.

Different constituencies often expect the BBC to support their cause. However, the reason that we have been so successful over generations is that we are not an arm of the state. Even at times of crisis, our first duty must be to our audiences. In deciding what to show – and what not to show – we must be guided by their needs and their interests.

Being first with the news is not everything. Indeed, it is more important to be "second and right" than first and wrong. Accuracy is a prime concern at the BBC, and our international news programmes have to be especially careful and cautious because so many of our audiences look to us to find out whether what others are saying is true.

Maintaining our credibility is vital to help with the reconstruction of an independent and pluralistic media in post-war Iraq. We must be constantly vigilant about the tone and range of voice presented in our news programmes.

We must never be afraid of asking tough questions of those in power. During the war, it would have been all too easy to stick to a formula of Bush and Blair statements and live press briefings with Tommy Franks, followed by a clip of an Iraqi minister. However, not many listeners in Cairo or Amman would have thought that sounded impartial or balanced, and they would have been right. It certainly wouldn't have presented a full, comprehensive and accurate picture.