Editorial issues

Professional relationships that develop between broadcasters and emergency planners will generate many mutual opportunities to serve the public more effectively. They will also throw up challenging editorial issues.

Editor not publisher

'Connecting in a Crisis' is intended to create closer working relationships at a local level between BBC staff and those charged with a duty of care for their communities, but it is important that the BBC's editorial independence is maintained.

The BBC is legally responsible for what it broadcasts so it cannot become just a publisher of material at someone else's request. No matter how much co-operation is offered in delivering information, you will always find our staff to be editorially vigilant. It is another important part of our public service responsibility to ask the awkward and difficult question when required.

Essential information should confine itself to facts and be non-political. In practice, it is likely that the information our partners want us to broadcast will be the information we will wish to broadcast, and it will always have the highest priority.

Voluntary not mandatory

The BBC will not want to enter into formal 'contracts' because of the threat this might pose to the BBC's editorial independence.

There is scope for sensible voluntary arrangements and protocols that save time when an incident occurs and help to ensure the public receives vital guidance and advice as quickly as possible.

For example, a leak or explosion at a chemical plant may require an urgent message advising the public to stay indoors, go upstairs or downstairs, or prepare for evacuation.

We know that the public is often most at risk during the first couple of hours of an incident like this. It may be sensible sometimes to agree scripts or pre-recorded announcements that can be triggered by a call from an agreed official source (see 'The Cleveland Protocol').

This kind of arrangement is acceptable because the BBC retains an editorial overview by agreeing the wording in advance, and a local editor will have the final say over whether it is broadcast.