2 Maintaining Impartiality
2.1 News and Current Affairs
News and current affairs programmes may deal with any issue, cause, organisation or individual. People who work on these programmes should have no outside interests or commitments which could damage the BBC's reputation for impartiality, fairness and integrity.
Presenters and reporters primarily associated with the BBC.
Those known to the public primarily as presenters of, or reporters on, BBC news programmes or programmes about current affairs, must be seen to be impartial. It is important that no off-air activity, including writing, the giving of interviews or the making of speeches, leads to any doubt about their objectivity on-air. If such presenters or reporters publicly express personal views off-air on controversial issues, then their on-air role may be severely compromised. It is crucial that in both their BBC work and in non BBC activities such as writing, speaking or giving interviews, they do not:-
- state how they vote or express support for any political party
- express views for or against any policy which is a matter of current party political debate
- advocate any particular position on an issue of current public controversy or debate
- exhort a change in high profile public policy.
If, in an exceptional case, such a presenter or reporter writes or speaks off-air in favour of one position on an issue of current public controversy, this could give rise to concerns about impartiality. The relevant Director or Head of Department should give very careful consideration as to whether there is an actual conflict of interest and whether they should declare their interest on-air or not present items or conduct interviews on the issue.
Permission must be sought from the relevant Director, Head of Department or their nominee before outside writing or speaking commitments are undertaken about current affairs or matters of current public controversy or debate.(See section 3 below).
When making judgements about what off-air activities are acceptable, the Director or Head of Department should take into account the degree to which a news or current affairs reporter or presenter is directly identified with the BBC and therefore how far their views are likely to be construed to be the views of the BBC. There may be particular constraints on those who bear titles such as "BBC…Editor" or "BBC…correspondent".
Occasional presenters whose primary identity is not the presentation of News and Current affairs programmes.
In some cases, the BBC may employ as presenters people whose primary occupation or identity is not the presentation of broadcast news or current affairs. These presenters may be newspaper editors, newspaper correspondents, columnists, writers or academics and in some cases they will be known to hold specific views on current topics. Use of such freelance presenters should not undermine the BBC's reputation for impartiality and it may be advisable in some cases to state on air what their main occupation is or the position which they hold. If relevant it should be made clear that they hold partial views on a particular topic.
Such presenters should not be used to present news bulletins, nor would they normally be used as presenters of major daily current affairs programmes.
Editors, producers and researchers
These concerns and restraints about off-air activities also apply to editors, producers and researchers on news and current affairs programmes. It is important that they do not make public statements or write articles about public policy issues in a way that could undermine the perceived impartiality of their role or the programmes they produce. They must seek the permission of their Head of Department or Director before undertaking any non-BBC activity of this kind.
2.2 Serious factual programmes
In general the same constraints apply as for news and current affairs. The objectivity of the programme, programme maker or presenter must not be undermined by any outside commitment or activity. However, if a programme maker, editor or reporter only works in one area, such as science, then it may be acceptable for them to express an opinion publicly on a totally unrelated area such as the arts. Heads of Department must judge what is appropriate.
2.3 Consumer and Lifestyle Programmes
People working on these programmes, either as presenters or producers, must have no commercial or other links which could appear to influence their attitude towards any product, service or company. (see section 5 below Commercial Interests.) Any non-BBC activity undertaken by presenters, such as writing or advertising should not undermine their integrity, in particular they should not promote or advertise any product they might review on air (see section 7 below on Commercial Advertising.)
2.4 Other programming
In all other areas it is essential that programme makers and on-air talent do not undermine their own integrity and the integrity of their programmes by off- air involvement in inappropriate activities or commercial interests.
2.5 Presenters of Factual Programmes Appearing in Drama
Presenters of factual programmes should be aware that simulating their normal role in drama or comedy might carry risks for their own credibility and the credibility of the programmes in which they usually appear. Any proposal to use a current BBC news presenter to present a fictional bulletin must be approved by the head of the relevant news department who should also specifically read and clear the script. It is important that there is no danger of the audience confusing fiction with reality.