Station heads admitted an inaccurate report had been broadcast on its Newsbeat programme on Monday.
In a bulletin the journalist wrongly said an official report had blamed Liverpool supporters for too many fans getting into one part of the stadium that day.
But on Tuesday the BBC issued an official apology and said it had made an embarrassing mistake.
"Yesterday on Newsbeat at 12.45 we broadcast an item on the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 people were killed," it said.
"We said an official report blamed Liverpool supporters for too many fans getting into one part of the stadium that day.
"This was wrong and we would like to apologise to listeners offended by our report and for this error."
A total of 96 football supporters were killed in the Hillsborough disaster on April 15, 1989.
They were crushed to death at the stadium in Shefield during the FA Cup semi-final between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool.
The crush is said to have resulted from too many Liverpool fans being allowed in to the back of an already full stand at the Leppings Lane end of the ground.
More than 2,000 Liverpool fans had still not got into the stadium when the match started.
But as fans rushed in, those already there were pushed forward and crushed against the safety fences.
After a public inquiry, new safety measures were introduced at football grounds around Britain.
Over the past couple of years the BBC has been at the centre of a number of scandals.
Earlier this year it was forced to apologise after Doctor Who actor John Barrowman exposed himself during a live Radio 1 broadcast, with pictures relayed to online listeners via a webcam.
In October presenter Jonathan Ross and comedian Russell Brand were suspended after thousands of Radio 2 listeners complained about their prank calls to actor Andrew Sachs.
Last year the BBC admitted faking the winners of phone-ins and interactive competitions on six shows including Blue Peter and Children in Need.
In a bulletin the journalist wrongly said an official report had blamed Liverpool supporters for too many fans getting into one part of the stadium that day.
But on Tuesday the BBC issued an official apology and said it had made an embarrassing mistake.
"Yesterday on Newsbeat at 12.45 we broadcast an item on the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 people were killed," it said.
"We said an official report blamed Liverpool supporters for too many fans getting into one part of the stadium that day.
"This was wrong and we would like to apologise to listeners offended by our report and for this error."
A total of 96 football supporters were killed in the Hillsborough disaster on April 15, 1989.
They were crushed to death at the stadium in Shefield during the FA Cup semi-final between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool.
The crush is said to have resulted from too many Liverpool fans being allowed in to the back of an already full stand at the Leppings Lane end of the ground.
More than 2,000 Liverpool fans had still not got into the stadium when the match started.
But as fans rushed in, those already there were pushed forward and crushed against the safety fences.
After a public inquiry, new safety measures were introduced at football grounds around Britain.
Over the past couple of years the BBC has been at the centre of a number of scandals.
Earlier this year it was forced to apologise after Doctor Who actor John Barrowman exposed himself during a live Radio 1 broadcast, with pictures relayed to online listeners via a webcam.
In October presenter Jonathan Ross and comedian Russell Brand were suspended after thousands of Radio 2 listeners complained about their prank calls to actor Andrew Sachs.
Last year the BBC admitted faking the winners of phone-ins and interactive competitions on six shows including Blue Peter and Children in Need.
1 comment:
Shoddy reporting by the BBC to blame Liverpool fans. Glad they apologised. However, this article is also factually incorrect. Images of John Barrowman exposing himself where never relayed via a webcam to any listeners
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