Recording telephones calls for news & factual programmes
We should normally inform people at the start of a telephone conversation that we are recording the call for possible broadcast and obtain consent. The exceptions are:
- telephone door-steps when we say that a call is being recorded for broadcasting, has been recorded for broadcast, or broadcasting the call live when the individual is not expecting to be interviewed and with or without prior approach.
- secretly recording a phone call for broadcast. This must be approved in advance by a senior editorial figure or for Independents by the commissioning editor and will normally only be authorised as an investigative tool, as a method of consumer, scientific or social research, or for comedy and entertainment purposes.