Premium rate telephony and related editorial issues 鈥� 主播大秀 Trust statement
The Trust is announcing today that it has commissioned a longer-term policy review of how and when the 主播大秀 uses premium rate phone lines and associated programme interactivity.
On behalf of the 主播大秀 Trust, Chairman Sir Michael Lyons has issued the following statement:
"The public expectations of the 主播大秀 are rightly always high and it is the role of the 主播大秀 Trust to put in place guidelines which reflect them. When the 主播大秀 falls short of those expectations and breaches occur, as happened on editions of Blue Peter and Saturday Kitchen, it is not surprising that licence fee payers feel let down and disappointed.
"The errors which occurred around the Blue Peter programme on 27 November last year were particularly serious as they resulted in children being misled to participate in a competition they had no chance of winning and in a child in the studio being involved in deceiving the audience. These grave mistakes were compounded by serious errors of judgement in not referring the matter to senior management.
"The case of Saturday Kitchen has also revealed flaws which, in the view of the Trust, resulted in viewers being misled into believing that they were calling a live programme.
"We are pleased that, as soon as these errors came to light, management moved swiftly to address the problems that had arisen. Mark Thompson's clear and frank report, which we are publishing today, demonstrates a thorough review is underway and that there is a clear commitment to learning from these breaches. Overall, we welcome the actions taken to date but, in our discussions with 主播大秀 management, the Trust has highlighted some issues of particular importance.
"First, the Trust looks to the Director-General and other senior leaders to ensure clear understanding among all programme makers of their responsibilities to licence fee payers. The culture of the 主播大秀 must be such that any proposal to mislead audiences is instantly dismissed as wholly inappropriate. This requires a commitment to raising awareness and understanding of the Editorial Guidelines in all areas, particularly in non-News departments.
"Second, the 主播大秀 is different from other broadcasters in that it is funded by the licence fee and does not seek to make additional revenue from premium rate phone lines and in some cases uses premium services to minimise call charges to the public. 主播大秀 management has already carried out a review of the 主播大秀's premium phone line operations and compliance with the 主播大秀's policies and guidelines. In line with good audit practice, the Trust has agreed with the Director-General that he now commission an external auditor to carry out sample checks of some programmes in the report and provide the external auditor's findings to the Trust as soon as possible.
"It is clear from the volume of calls that the public enjoys the opportunity to interact directly with 主播大秀 programmes. However, we know from points raised at public meetings and during radio phone-ins, that some members of the public question the cost of participation or would like more information about how the money raised is used by the 主播大秀.
"The 主播大秀's interactivity with audiences is not a commercial imperative but part of the 主播大秀's public service and is one way in which the 主播大秀 is distinctive from commercial broadcasters. Not only must its policies be clearly different therefore, but the 主播大秀 must seek to ensure the public recognises the distinction of the 主播大秀's interactive services.
"The Trust's own action arising from recent events is to carry out a longer-term policy review of how and when the 主播大秀 uses premium rate phone lines and associated programme interactivity. Formal terms of reference will be decided by the Trust's Editorial Standards Committee at its next meeting in June and will be published.
"This policy review will be led by Ronald Neil, the 主播大秀's former Director of News and Current Affairs and author of the Neil Report. We expect to receive the review's recommendations in the autumn. We will draw on those, together with the findings and reports from Ofcom and Icstis as they relate to the 主播大秀, and work emerging from the 主播大秀 management's working party on the use of premium rate telephony, before we publish the Trust's conclusions.
"The 主播大秀 Trust represents the public interest, safeguarding the 主播大秀 for the people who pay for it and own it.
"One of the Trust's duties is to ensure the 主播大秀 maintains the highest editorial standards and delivers top quality programmes. This means ensuring that programmes meet public expectations of information, education and entertainment. And that the 主播大秀 remains independent, impartial and honest.
"It is the responsibility of everyone at the 主播大秀 not to lose sight of these important principles for the 主播大秀 to be deserving of the public's trust which it rightly values very highly."
Ends
Notes to Editors
The Director-General's report to the Trust is available at: www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust.
Mark Thompson has issued a separate statement, which is available at: www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice.
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