What is the official procedure to challenge the BBC for breach of charter?

[David H]

The BBC are under very strict operating rules, mainly to stop bias, advertising and other personal enrichment or propaganda spreading. But what does one do when evidence one or more of these rules has been broken? And as well as the procedure who is entitled to take the action?

[scotman]

anyone can write to the Board of Governors

[factor-fiction]

You're on a mission today, David- challenging the BBC here and trying to bring down teh EU in your other thread.
This may help with the BBC issue http://www.bbc.co.uk/...agreement/index.shtml

[David H]

The reason for that is simple, as the two areas are closely connected and both are behaving in a similar manner. Having studied such things in my degree I know they are wrong and wonder why nothing is being done about it. Now I am learning the procedures (we learnt the rules, not how to enforce them) I am a lot clearer, and for one can now contact the board of governors as clearly no one else appears to have, and will also learn the appeals procedure if I get blanked at the first attempt.

[ABerrant]

The operating rules you have cited fall under Editorial Guidelines. Editorial complaints to the BBC Executive number tens of thousands per month so I wonder at your statement "...contact the board of governors as clearly no one else appears to have".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/

[David H]

Aberrant, there are two levels of misdemeanour. Those which simply make an error or offend someone, which are dealt with by the minor complaints procedure you pointed out, and what are fundamental breaches of their charter which have the status of law. As a law or contract it must then include a means of enforcement, and that is what was being described there. It's a bit like a newspaper inciting a crime, that wouldn't be dealt with by the Press Complaints Commission but the state. There's no point in having a charter if it's not enforceable or taken seriously as it clearly is not.

[ABerrant]

The BBC's Royal Charter does not specify the operating rules (bias, propaganda, etc.). These are dealt with by Protocol B2 which explains how the BBC Trust works to ensure that BBC output meets appropriate editorial standards...

"The role and duties of the Executive Board...
B2.2 The Executive Board is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Editorial Guidelines, the Ofcom Broadcasting Code as it applies to the BBC and any other relevant codes, policies and guidelines and is accountable to the Trust for such compliance in all BBC output. In particular, the Executive Board must do all it can to ensure that controversial subjects are treated with due accuracy and impartiality in all output that consists of news, or deals with matters of public policy, or of political or industrial controversy."

...which brings us back to the Editorial Guidelines mentioned in my post above.


It is not possible to prove non-compliance unless you see or hear the alleged evidential breach of the 'rules' within broadcast content. That content is governed by editorial standards, therefore you are making a complaint based on editorial content. The procedures set out in the Protocol specify:

Stage 1 - an editorial complaint is made to the BBC Executive. If you are not satisfied with the response, contact the department which replied explaining why and requesting a further response to the complaint.
Stage 2 - still not satisfied, complaint will normally be referred to the Editorial Complaints Unit.
Stage 3 - still not satisfied, you may ask the BBC Trust to consider an appeal against the finding.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...agreement/index.shtml

[David H]

I think that answers the question in the second part, ie why has no one done anything about it. Making the procedure as difficult as possible (and the regulations) virtually guarantees their safety unless someone qualified was employed to take it on by someone with the money to do so.