The Law
Broadcasting is now the subject of many different laws ranging from defamation and contempt to obscenity, incitement and health and safety. Legal problems may therefore arise not just with what we publish but with how we create our content. The BBC has its own programme lawyers, the Programme Legal Advice department (PLA) and further details are available from their internal BBC gateway site. PLA should be consulted as early as possible about content which may run legal risks.
Any decision to proceed with a programme despite legal advice must be referred to the most senior editorial level and Controller Editorial Policy.
When considering the issues raised by these guidelines it is often necessary to distinguish between the law and the BBC's ethics. There may be occasions when a programme is legally safe to transmit but raises editorial issues, for example, when children are involved or privacy matters arise. In these circumstances the BBC seeks to behave ethically. While lawyers can therefore offer legal advice, the final decision remains an editorial one.