Guidance

How To Deal With A Serious Incident In A Live Broadcast

It is important that everyone involved in a live programme is adequately prepared for dealing with a serious incident if it arises. However, as every incident will be different, hard and fast rules are not practical. The following are examples of ways of dealing with some of the problems which may arise.

• Harm and Offence
• Offensive Language
• Offensive Comments
• Streakers
• Sporting Fatalities and Severe Injuries
• Demonstrations, Disturbances and Riots
• National and International Emergencies
• Obituaries
• Threats and Hoaxes
• Factual Errors
• Children
• Impartiality
• Sponsorship and Product Placement
• Defamation
• Flashing Images, Strobing and Photosensitive Epilepsy

Harm and Offence

See also Section 8 of the BBC Editorial Guidelines: Harm and Offence.

Offensive language

We should make an on-air apology at the earliest opportunity if the most offensive language is used (f-word or its derivatives, mf-word, or c-word) pre-Watershed or when children are particularly likely to be listening.

We should normally dip the sound and/or move to a different camera if there is an outburst of the most offensive language, for example, by a competitor, referee or spectators at a sporting event. We should normally avoid showing close-ups where the most offensive language may be easily lip-read, unless it is clearly editorially justified.

We should consider whether it is appropriate to give an apology at the end of the programme if it was not possible to give one within the programme itself.

If offensive language is used inappropriately on radio the producer should normally make sure the presenter apologises. It may also be necessary, depending on the incident, to play a music track, or move onto another live or pre-recorded item. Whilst this is being broadcast the producer should remind the presenter/contributor of their responsibilities and issue a first warning. If the interview is resumed and once again strays into unsuitable language or subject matter, it may be appropriate to create a "cooling off" period and issue a second and final warning. It should be made clear at this stage that any further breaches will result in the interview being brought to an immediate end.

It should also be noted that offensive language can be a particular source of offence in subtitles, so care is required in relation to live subtitling.

Offensive Comments

If offensive comments are expressed during live interviews, the interviewer should normally intervene, challenge the comments where appropriate and/or distance the BBC from the comments. If this doesn't happen we should make an on-air apology at the earliest opportunity. Offensive comments include remarks that may be interpreted as, for example, racist, sexist, homophobic, prejudiced against a religious group, or reflecting an unflattering national stereotype. If offensive comments are made when, for example, football fans chant racist abuse we should consider making an on air apology for broadcasting the comments.

Streakers

If a streaker interrupts a sporting event or other outside broadcast we should normally only show wide angles and when editorially justified.

Sporting fatalities and severe injuries

We should avoid showing replays of the incident until the extent of the injury is known and close up shots should be used with discretion. Commentary should reflect the seriousness of the incident but avoid speculation. If the injury occurs to an animal, for example in a race horse, we should show wide angles where possible and avoid unnecessary replays of the incident.

Demonstrations, Disturbances and Riots

See also Section 11 BBC Editorial Guidelines: War, Terror and Emergencies

Sometimes events and sporting fixtures are the focus of protest which occasionally turns violent and escalates into a riot situation. Our main coverage should be the event itself, although where the protest has materially affected the running of the event then it will normally be editorially justified to reflect this in our coverage. However, we should try and avoid inflaming the situation and showing graphic scenes of violence, particularly in close-up. We should consider the time of transmission and the likely audience.

National and International Emergencies

See also Section 11 BBC Editorial Guidelines: War, Terror and Emergencies and Section 6: Privacy.

When a live non-news programme finds itself covering a major incident or disaster it will usually be appropriate to hand over to BBC News, although staff may well be asked to continue operating cameras and directing.

If News does not take over editorial control, we should apply the following principles:

1. report the facts and avoid speculation.
2. source our information, for example, "the police have released the following casualty figures".
3. take care with language. Our credibililty is undermined by the careless use of words which carry emotional or value judgements. The word "terrorist" itself can be a barrier rather than an aid to understanding. We should try to avoid the term, without attribution.
4. ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that names of people who have been killed, injured or are missing are not broadcast unless we are satisfied that next of kin have been informed. There may be exceptions for prominent figures.
5. balance the public interest in full and accurate reporting against the need to be compassionate and to avoid any unjustified infringement of privacy. It is rarely justified to broadcast scenes in which people are dying. It is always important to respect the privacy and dignity of the dead. We should avoid the gratuitous use of close ups of faces and serious injuries or other violent material.
6. avoid putting people who are injured or grieving following an accident or disaster under pressure to provide interviews.

Obituaries

This guidance does not include any information about the procedure to be followed in the event of the death or suspected death of a member of the Royal Family or other major international figures. It is important that individual output areas are conversant with their own rules concerning the treatment of obituaries.

Threats and hoaxes

See also Section 11 BBC Editorial Guidelines: War, Terror and Emergencies

We should not normally report incidents until we have confirmed whether they are genuine bomb threats or merely hoaxes unless they are having a serious and evident effect, such as a major and very visible disruption of a high profile live sporting event. Then we should make a careful judgement about the need to inform and warn the public, against giving publicity to the perpetrators.

If we receive a bomb warning or other credible and specific threat the first priority is to pass it on to the appropriate authorities. We must not reveal the current code-words normally used by groups giving bomb warnings.

Factual errors

See also Section 3 BBC Editorial Guidelines: Accuracy.

If it is established during a live programme that a factual error has been made and we can accurately correct it then we should admit our mistake clearly and frankly. Saying what was wrong as well as putting it right can be an important element in making an effective correction. Where the inaccuracy is unfair, a timely correction may dissuade the aggrieved party from complaining. Any serious factual errors or potential defamation problems should be referred immediately to Programme Legal Advice.

Children

See also Section 9 BBC Editorial Guidelines: Children.

When children appear live on air it is important that careful consideration is given to the following:

• issues of informed consent
• advice given to children before they go on air, for example, in relation to not normally identifying themselves beyond a first name and not swearing.
• Production of a studio checklist detailing what to do in particular circumstances, for example, if a child admits to taking drugs, smoking or alcohol presenters could say "Smoking/drugs/alcohol can harm you and you may be breaking the law. We can give you numbers of organisations that might be helpful after the programme."

Impartiality

See also Section 4 of the BBC Editorial Guidelines: Impartiality.

Due impartiality lies at the heart of the BBC's standards. It is a core value and no area of programming is exempt from it. It is vital that any package or interview broadcast during a live event is impartial and fair. Care should be taken to ensure that there is no suggestion of bias. This can be achieved by careful casting and ensuring the presenter/interviewer is properly briefed to conduct a robust interview.

Sponsorship and Product Prominence

See also Section 13 BBC Editorial Guidelines: Editorial Integrity and Independence.

Where an event televised by the BBC has been sponsored by an outside body we need to strike a balance between reasonable on-air reflections of sponsorship and undue prominence. We should try and minimise the impact of signage and logos as much as possible by the appropriate framing and duration of shots.

Defamation

See also Section 16 BBC Editorial Guidelines: The Law.

If we broadcast anything that harms the reputation of an individual, a group, or an organisation we may be sued for defamation. The risk exists whether the defamatory statements are scripted or spoken off the cuff. Subject to the defence of innocent dissemination (the "live defence"), the BBC can be liable, as broadcaster, regardless of who makes the defamatory comments. Any potential defamation problem should be dealt with immediately by referring the matter to Programme Legal Advice. It may be appropriate for the presenter to attempt to defuse the situation and distance the programme from the defamatory remarks. Depending on the circumstances, an apology or correction may also be appropriate but when dealing with a potentially defamatory situation advice from PLA must be sought before any action is taken. An inappropriate apology or correction could exacerbate the defamation or create a new one.

Flashing images, strobing and photosensitive epilepsy

See also Section 8 BBC Editorial Guidelines: Harm and Offence.

If we are proposing to broadcast live on television a press conference or any other event which may be attended by stills photographers using flashes then we should consider giving a verbal, and if appropriate, a text warning at the start of the event to minimise the risk to viewers who have photosensitive epilepsy.