Principles for Maintaining Impartiality
1) BBC Staff, BBC Correspondents on non-staff contracts and freelances primarily known as BBC news and current affairs presenters or reporters
It is essential that BBC staff, BBC correspondents on non staff contracts and freelances known to the public primarily as presenters or reporters on BBC news or current affairs programmes do not undertake any off-air activities which could undermine the BBC's reputation for impartiality. Nothing they do or say should bring the BBC into disrepute. No off-air activity, including writing for newspapers, magazines or websites, writing books, giving interviews, making speeches or chairing conferences should lead to any doubt about the objectivity or integrity of their work for the BBC. If BBC journalists, presenters or reporters publicly express personal views off-air on controversial issues, then their editorial or on-air role may be severely compromised.
BBC staff and freelances primarily known as presenters or reporters on BBC news and current affairs programmes must not
- state or reveal publicly 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.
Permission must be sought from the relevant Head of Department about the suitability of writing or speaking commitments. Heads of Department should ensure that the relevant BBC Press and Publicity manager is informed about these commitments and the dates of publication or appearance.
Contracts with presenters and reporters who are primarily associated with the BBC should reflect requirements for impartiality when undertaking off-air activities and the need to seek approval for such activities as outlined in this guidance note.
2. Freelance presenters whose primary identity is not the presentation of BBC news and current affairs programmes
In some cases the BBC may employ as freelance presenters people whose primary occupation or identity is not the presentation of BBC news or current affairs. For example, presenters may be academics or newspaper editors or columnists and they may have particular viewpoints on current affairs. The BBC would not place the same constraints on their off-air activities as would be placed on BBC news staff or mainstream news or current affairs presenters and reporters. But employment of such freelance presenters should not undermine the BBC's impartiality and it may be advisable in some cases to state on air what their main position or occupation is and, if relevant, that they hold a partial view on a topic. Such presenters should not be used to present news bulletins or major daily news programmes dealing with a range of issues.
Presenters whose primary identity is not the presentation of BBC news and current affairs should be asked to clear with the BBC any articles or letters to the press which directly relate to the programme which they present.