UK media minister says BBC governance may need further reform

LONDON - Britain's media minister Oliver Dowden said the government would consider whether further reform of governance at the publicly-funded BBC was needed after the broadcaster was pilloried by an inquiry into its 1995 interview with Princess Diana.

An inquiry on Thursday concluded journalist Martin Bashir had used deceit and fake bank statements to secure the bombshell interview, and found the BBC had been "woefully ineffective" in investigating his actions. Its findings led Diana's son Prince William to launch an unprecedented blistering attack on the broadcaster which he accused the BBC and its interview of helping to poison the relationship between his mother and father, Prince Charles, and contributed to her fear and paranoia before her death in 1997.