Legislative Council Secretariat IN38/05-06 INFORMATION NOTE Editorial/Producers' Guidelines of Public Service Broadcasters in Selected Places The United Kingdom (UK) Canada Australia Hong Kong British Broadcasting Canadian Broadcasting Australian Broadcasting Special Broadcasting Radio Television Hong Channel 4 Corporation (BBC) Corporation (CBC) Corporation (ABC) Service (SBS) Kong (RTHK) Name of Editorial Guidelines – The Office of Communications Journalistic Standards and Editorial Policies Editorial Guidelines Producers' Guidelines document BBC's Values and Standards (Ofcom) Broadcasting Code Practices Latest edition 2005 2005 2004 2002 2002 2003 Legal basis The BBC Royal Charter and (a) The Communications Act The Broadcasting Act (S.C. The Australian Broadcasting The Special Broadcasting The Framework Agreement its accompanying 2003; and 1991, c. 11) Corporation Act 1983 Service Act 1991 between the Secretary for Framework Agreement Commerce, Industry and (b) the Broadcasting Act Technology and the Director 1996 of Broadcasting Drafting y The BBC Editorial Policy y The Ofcom Content Board y The CBC Journalistic y The Editorial Policies The SBS Policy Unit The RTHK management authority Unit Standards and Practices Committee of the ABC team y Chaired by the Deputy Committee Board y The Controller of the Chairman of the Ofcom Editorial Policy Unit reports Board, the Content Board is y The Committee comprises y The Committee comprises directly to the BBC's Chief composed of 12 members the heads of news for six members, including the Executive, who is also the appointed by the Ofcom English, French, Radio, Chairman, four Non- Editor-in-Chief, on all Board. Television and New Media. Executive Directors editorial matters. appointed by the y The majority of the Content Governor-General and one Board members are staff-elected Director. part-time and drawn from diverse backgrounds across the UK. Research and Library Services Division page 1 Legislative Council Secretariat IN38/05-06 The United Kingdom (UK) Canada Australia Hong Kong British Broadcasting Canadian Broadcasting Australian Broadcasting Special Broadcasting Radio Television Hong Kong Channel 4 Corporation (BBC) Corporation (CBC) Corporation (ABC) Service (SBS) (RTHK) Approving y The BBC Board of y The Ofcom Board y The CBC Board y The ABC Board y The SBS Board y The Director of authority Governors y The Ofcom Board y Appointed by the Governor y The Board comprises the y The Board comprises the Broadcasting y The Board comprises 12 comprises an Executive in Council, the Board Managing Director, one Managing Director and y The post is a civil service members, appointed by the Chairman, five comprises 11 members, staff-elected Director and between four and eight establishment created by the Queen on advice from the Non-Executive Directors including the Chairman up to seven Non-Executive Non-Executive Directors. Government. government in accordance and four Executive and the President who also Directors who are y The Non-Executive with the Nolan principles Directors including the serves as the Chief appointed by the Directors are appointed by that public appointments Chief Executive Officer. Operating Officer. Governor-General on the the Governor-General, should be made on merits. y Both the Secretary of State y Board members are recommendation of the while the Managing for the Department for selected from among government. Director is appointed by the Culture, Media and Sport prominent citizens eminent Board. and the Secretary of State in fields such as law, for the Department of Trade accounting, business, and Industry are education and the arts. responsible for appointing up to six Members to the Board (known as "Members") and approving the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer. y Additional members of staff (known as "Staff Members") may be appointed to the Board by the Members. There may be up to a total of nine Members and Staff Members (together known as the "Board Members"). Public Nil. Public consultation among Nil. Nil. See Note 1. Nil. consultation broadcasters, viewers, listeners and other interested parties. Note 1: SBS is currently undertaking a review of its Code of Practice which sets out the principles and policies that SBS uses to guide its programming. A draft amendment to its previous Code was published on 11 August 2006 and the deadline for public consultation was 8 September 2006. Research and Library Services Division page 2 Legislative Council Secretariat IN38/05-06 The United Kingdom (UK) Canada Australia Hong Kong British Broadcasting Canadian Broadcasting Australian Broadcasting Special Broadcasting Radio Television Hong Kong Channel 4 Corporation (BBC) Corporation (CBC) Corporation (ABC) Service (SBS) (RTHK) Key editorial (a) Truth and accuracy – (a) Material that might (a) Journalistic principles (a) Honesty – factual (a) Editorial principles (a) Impartiality – principles/ programmes must be well seriously impair the include accuracy, content of programmes include balance and programme content must elements sourced and presented in development of people integrity and fairness; must be correct and in objectivity; be accurate and impartial coverage clear and precise under 18 must not be context; (b) Programmes must according to recognized language; broadcast; (b) Diversity – programming standards of objective must not be limited to (b) Balance – principal present different sides relevant viewpoints on of an issue in a fair and journalism. It may not (b) Impartiality and diversity (b) Harmful and offensive what the largest audience be necessary to achieve of opinion – programmes material is judged against wants to know but what matters of importance balanced manner. should be presented. Balance can be the balance of views must reflect all significant "generally accepted the public is entitled and within a single strands of opinion over an standards"; needs to know and that This may not be achieved within the achieved within a single same programme or programme. Instead, it appropriate time scale; the widest possible range can be done over a (c) Programmes should not of views is expressed; programme but should over a reasonable (c) Editorial integrity and encourage crime or lead be achieved as soon as period of time; period of time; independence – decisions to disorder; (c) Balance – programmes possible; (c) Information must be (b) Accuracy – programmes are independent of both must ensure equitable (d) Programmes should (c) Fairness – content of truthful, reflect should not rely on only state and partisan treatment of views on news and current affairs equitably the relevant one source and factual interests; respect faiths and views matters of public interest. of various religions; should be balance and facts and significant matters should be Programme balance impartial; points of view; checked; (d) Serving the public should be achieved interest – stories of (e) News and controversial matters should be within a single (d) Independence – no (d) Presenters and (c) Taste and decency – significance must be programme or an external interference is journalists must be programmes should reported and analysed; reported in due impartiality and due identifiable series of allowed in the aware of potential respect and reflect the (e) Fairness – output must be accuracy. Due programmes; presentation or content conflicts of interest and generally accepted of programmes; must not present a values in society; based on fairness, impartiality may be (d) Privacy – individual's openness and straight achieved within a personal bias or personal and private life, (e) Privacy – programmes partisan approach; and (d) Violence must not be dealing; programme or over a as opposed to his or her must show respect for exploited except where series of programmes public life, must be the rights of programme (e) Presenters/journalists its depiction is an (f) Privacy – there should be taken as a whole; no coverage on private protected from intrusion participants, audience must ensure that their essential fact of the matters unless there is a (f) Undue prominence of or exposure to the public and subject matters; and programmes do not reality being portrayed; clear public interest; views and opinions on view; become or are not used (f) Cultural diversity – by individuals or (e) Conflicts of interest – controversial matters (e) Confidentiality of programmes must programme-makers are (g) Programmes must must be prevented; organizations as safeguard the welfare of sources should be represent Australia's vehicles for inflaming free from inappropriate children and young (g) Due weight must be given respected to allow free cultural, ethnic and community tensions. outside commitments; people; and to the coverage of all flow of information; and racial diversity. parties concerned during (h) Programmes must be the election period; accountable to the audiences. Research and Library Services Division page 3 Legislative Council Secretariat IN38/05-06 The United Kingdom (UK) Canada Australia Hong Kong British Broadcasting Canadian Broadcasting Australian Broadcasting Special Broadcasting Radio Television Hong Kong Channel 4 Corporation (BBC) Corporation (CBC) Corporation (ABC) Service (SBS) (RTHK) Key editorial (h) Unjust or unfair treatment (f) Programmes must avoid (f) Fairness to interviewees – principles/ of individuals or taking unfair advantage programme-makers elements organizations must be of members of the public should be open about coverage avoided in programmes; who may be ignorant