SECTION 1: The remit of the Governors' Programme Complaints Committee
1.1 The Governors' Programme Complaints Committee (GPCC) is responsible for
fulfilling the Charter requirement that the BBC Board of Governors "ensure that any
comments, proposals and complaints made by viewers and listeners of the Home
Services are given due consideration by and are properly handled by the
Corporation". The GPCC reports its activities to the full Board of Governors.

1.2 In fulfilling this remit, the GPCC undertakes regular reviews of the BBC's
processes and performance in relation to audience comments, proposals and
complaints as outlined in Section 2.

1.3 The GPCC is responsible for the independent oversight of the BBC's strategic
approach to complaints handling, and for monitoring the effectiveness of its
processes, to ensure both serve the public interest and reflect best practice.

In relation to serious programme complaints the GPCC requires that:
· complaints are handled promptly and are investigated rigorously and impartially;
· where a complaint is upheld, the BBC not only apologises for the breach in
programme standards but takes remedial action to guard against the breach
occurring again and/ or to discipline individuals responsible for the breach;
· where the complainant is not happy with the BBC's initial finding, he/ she is
appropriately informed about how to escalate the complaint, including the
ultimate right of appeal to the GPCC.

1.4 In line with the GPCC's responsibility for monitoring the effectiveness of complaints
handling by BBC management, it is also the specific function of the GPCC to
consider appeals against decisions and actions of the PCU or of the Directors of
BBC Divisions in dealing with serious editorial complaints. In considering appeals,
it receives independent advice on editorial matters from an external adviser (see
Section 4.2). Section 3 outlines the arrangements in relation to taking appeals.

SECTION 2: How the Committee maintains oversight of complaints handling
2.1 The supervisory role of the Committee is fulfilled by:
· · monitoring the BBC's processes for handling audience comments and
proposals; · ·
an understanding of good practice in complaints handling; · ·
an annual review of the BBC's complaints-handling processes and performance,
with the periodic review of the complaints-handling strategy resulting from issues
raised in the annual reviews; · ·
review of the Quarterly Complaints Bulletin submitted to the Board of Governors
by BBC Information; · ·
review of the quarterly Complaints Bulletin published by the Programme
Complaints Unit.

In addition, the GPCC raises broader editorial issues raised by appeals as is
appropriate either directly with the Director-General or with the full Board.

SECTION 3: Rules relating to appeals taken to the GPCC
3.1 Which areas of BBC output are covered by the GPCC?
The GPCC considers appeals in relation to complaints about programmes
transmitted, or material carried, by the BBC's domestic public services on radio,
television and online.

3.2 Who can make an appeal?
The GPCC will usually only consider appeals from persons normally resident in the
United Kingdom, but it will consider appeals from individuals who live outside the
United Kingdom if the original complaint is based on an allegation that the
complainant has personally suffered unfair treatment or infringement of privacy.

3.3 How should appeals be made?
Appeals to the GPCC must set out the reasons why the person making the appeal
is dissatisfied with the response received from the PCU/ Director. If the appeal
concerns material transmitted on BBCi, the GPCC will normally only consider an
appeal if a copy of the material concerned is supplied with the appeal.

3.4 What are the criteria for a request for an appeal?
The GPCC will consider appeals concerning complaints which allege
· that the complainant has suffered unfair treatment in a transmitted item;
· that the complainant's privacy has been unjustifiably infringed, either in a
programme or item as transmitted or in the process of making the programme
or item; or

· that there has otherwise been a failure adequately to observe the BBC's editorial
guidelines;

The GPCC will also consider appeals concerning decisions or actions by the PCU
or Directors of Divisions in relation to the handling of a serious complaints. This
includes appeals against the decision by the PCU that a complaint does not fall
within its remit.

3.5 Which requests will the GPCC not consider?
The GPCC will not consider an appeal which
· in its opinion, is vexatious;
· relates to the content of a programme or item which has not yet been broadcast;
· relates to matters which are, or are likely to be, the subject of, or relevant to,
legal proceedings;

· is currently under active consideration by the Broadcasting Standards
Commission; or

· is brought by or on behalf of a complainant not normally resident in the United
Kingdom and who is not alleging unfair treatment (as in 3.4 above).
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3.6 What action is taken if the GPCC upholds an appeal?
If the GPCC upholds an appeal it notifies the programme executives and the
divisional management of its findings, and requires that the complaint and the
finding of the GPCC are taken into account in the framing of future programming.

Where appropriate, the GPCC may require an on-air apology or correction, or direct
BBC management to advise it of the remedial action taken to guard against similar
breaches of programme standards and/ or to discipline the individual( s) responsible
for the breach. The GPCC requires that BBC management report back as
appropriate on the remedial action taken.

If the GPCC considers the remedial action taken to be inappropriate or insufficient, it
can inform the Director-General who will review the issues raised and report back
to the GPCC.

3.7 Are there time limits on a request for an appeal?
The GPCC will not normally consider an appeal unless it is made within two months
of the final correspondence with the PCU/ Director on the original complaint. The
date of final correspondence is the date when the PCU/ Director informs the
complainant of the right of appeal to the GPCC.

3.8 How long does it take for the GPCC to hear an appeal?
In order to give full consideration to an appeal, the GPCC will make any further
enquiries of the complainant or those responsible for making the programme which
it considers necessary to determine the appeal fairly.
The GPCC will aim to reach a final decision on an appeal within 12 weeks of
receiving the request.

3.9 How does the GPCC communicate its decisions?
Decisions of the GPCC will be communicated to those making the appeal, and to
those responsible for the programme or material concerned, in writing. The GPCC
will set out the reasons for its decision.

Decisions of the GPCC are final.
Decisions on appeals given full consideration by the GPCC are also published in
the quarterly bulletin, "Programme Complaints: Appeals to the Governors". This
bulletin includes a statement on any remedial action taken. The bulletin is published
on BBCi (www. bbc. co. uk/ info)

The Secretary or available from: to the Programme Complaints Committee
BBC
Room 3080
Broadcasting House
Portland Place
London W1A 1AA 4
BR>www. bbc. co. uk/ info/ policies/ programmecomplaints/ 5
SECTION 4: How the GPCC is constituted
4.1 Representation of Governors on the GPCC
The GPCC consists of five Governors of the BBC, to whom the full Board of
Governors have delegated the power to ensure that complaints are properly
handled and to consider appeals. The GPCC's conclusions will be reported to the
full Board. The quorum for meetings of the GPCC is three, and its meetings are
held in private. The GPCC will decide on the details of the procedure to follow in
dealing with any particular appeal.

4.2 Independent Editorial Adviser to the GPCC
An Editorial Adviser to the GPCC is appointed to inform the Committee about the
concerns and/ or considerations raised by the complainant, and the range of
editorial issues relating to the complaint.

The Editorial Adviser is appointed by the GPCC. The Editorial Adviser is invited to
serve for a three-year term, renewable for a further two years by mutual agreement
of the Chairman of the GPCC and the Adviser.

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