Monday 10 October 2011

Freedom of Information - another one!

Perhaps they having a "blitz" on my requests as I have just received a 4-page document...


Freedom of Information request – RFI20111192

Thank you for your request to the BBC of 29 September, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”) seeking the following information:

 - how many complaints in total were received by the BBC Complaints Department that related specifically to the Jeremy Vine programme on Radio 2 during the most recent 12-month period for which you have details available

The information you have requested is excluded from the Act because it is held for the purposes of ‘journalism, art or literature.’ The BBC is therefore not obliged to provide this information to you and will not be doing so on this occasion. Part VI of Schedule 1 to the Act provides that information held by the BBC and the other public service broadcasters is only covered by the Act if it is held for ‘purposes other than those of journalism, art or literature”. The BBC is not required to supply information held for the purposes of creating the BBC’s output or information that supports and is closely associated with these creative activities1, including information relating to the subject of editorial complaints. The BBC’s independence and impartiality would be at risk through disclosure of information on editorial complaints.


I had to laugh at this bit:

The BBC agrees (with the Information Commissioner's Office) that we have the right to protect our journalistic and editorial independence by maintaining just such a private space in which to produce our content. This extends to the sifting and review of praise and criticism from audiences, as well as the seeking of an independent view of criticism in order to undertake this review process. This is an important part of the BBC’s 
process of creating and improving programmes. Despite the BBC’s obligation to be independent and impartial, many bodies, groups and individuals attempt to influence our output. This pressure takes many forms and has to be resisted by programme makers across the BBC.


It is all very well attempting to resist influence on the BBC's impartiality, but when it is coming from WITHIN the BBC they really don't stand a chance.

4 comments:

  1. Interesting happened whilee watching Grand Prix on Sunday.A couple of the crowd had dressed up as Red Bull Cans,the camera showed it,the camera wasnt a BBC camera but a F1 camera as the BBC piggyback the signal.When these people were on the screen then the commentator stated'Few members of the crowd dressed up like a soft drink' so as to not advertise Red Bull even though u could see it was Red Bull.F1 is a big advert for all sponsors as well.

    Just found it funny that BBC F1 couldnt say Red Bull on BBC1 but JV can blatently say how good all Apple products are on R2 without stating alternatives are available.

    ReplyDelete
  2. A good point Will, and made even odder by Chris Evans plugging Red Bull on his morning show like there was no other drink available! Double standards, as usual.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dont listen to Chris Evans as cant stand his shows so avoid.Was he talking about Red Bull as in Red Bull F1 or as in Red Bull drink is really good.Red Bull F1 are a good team but someone talking about Red Bull drink or team is not going to get me to buy the drink.Never tried Red Bull before xi knew they were in F1&still not tried it in the 3yrs the BBC has had F1 back.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well, I have to say there is NO other drink like red bull. Vile!!

    ReplyDelete