Guidelines

(Mandatory Referrals are part of the BBC's editorial management system.  While they will not, in themselves, meet the Principles in the Editorial Guidelines, they are an essential part of the process to ensure compliance and must be observed.)

14.3.1

Any proposal, in any circumstances, to carry output which requires signalling for product placement on licence fee funded services, must be considered in advance by the relevant divisional director and the Director Editorial Policy and Standards in the first instance, who will refer the proposition to the Director-General for approval.

(See 14.4.2)

14.3.2

Any proposal to include commercial products or advertising clips in trails must be referred to Chief Adviser Editorial Policy.

(See 14.4.7)

14.3.3

Any proposal for a homeowner to contribute towards the cost of the materials for a makeover must be referred to Chief Adviser Editorial Policy.

(See 14.4.15)

14.3.4

Any proposal to trail commercial products related to BBC programmes on BBC radio must be referred to Chief Adviser Editorial Policy. 

(See 14.4.28)

14.3.5

Any proposal to accept funding from a commercial organisation for off-air support material or services must be approved by Chief Adviser Editorial Policy.

(See 14.4.35)

14.3.6

When planning to feature a specific product, brand or service over a number of programmes or other content (excluding news and current affairs output), broadcast in a short time span (for example, a single day), referral must be made to the relevant output controller(s), who must consider any cumulative impact of such content and whether it is editorially justified as a whole.  Referral must also be made at an early stage to Editorial Policy, who may consult Fair Trading if relevant. 

(See 14.4.5)

14.3.7

Any proposal to accept an expenses paid media facility or fact finding trip must be referred to a senior editorial figure or, for independents, to the commissioning editor. 

(See 14.4.16)

14.3.8

Any proposal to refer in our content to commercial operators offering an expenses paid media facility or fact finding trip must be referred to a senior editorial figure or, for independents, to the commissioning editor.

(See 14.4.17)

14.3.9

Any proposal to use commercial logos on BBC Online must be approved in advance by a senior editorial figure or, for independents by the commissioning editor.  This does not apply when the logo is part of a co-production credit.

(See 14.4.21)