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Review of procedures for handling broadcasting complaints, cases and sanctions

Consultation published by The Office for Communications (Ofcom) View original »

1.1 Ofcom is the body in the UK responsible for issuing licences to television and radio broadcasters. All Ofcom licences contain conditions which broadcasters must adhere to. When Ofcom investigates whether a broadcaster has breached its licence obligations (or in the case of the BBC, a requirement set out in The Agreement(-1-)) it follows certain published procedures. This consultation concerns proposals to change Ofcom's current procedures.

1.2 Amongst the licence conditions, broadcasters are required to comply with Ofcom's codes of practice, and in particular, the Broadcasting Code. The Broadcasting Code sets standards for the content of programmes. These standards include rules aimed, amongst other things, at protecting audiences from harmful and offensive material, and at ensuring that those directly affected by programmes are not treated unfairly or have their privacy unwarrantably infringed.

1.3 The consideration of complaints from members of the public and subsequent investigation of possible breaches of licence requirements plays an important role in ensuring compliance and that the public is adequately protected.

1.4 As part of this, we are required to have in place procedures to deal with complaints we receive from audiences, broadcasters or other interested bodies in relation to broadcast material and compliance with licence conditions.

1.5 We currently have three sets of published procedures which explain to members of the public and broadcasters how we deal with a variety of broadcasting complaints, cases and statutory sanctions.

1.6 The current procedures for handling complaints about the content of television and radio ('standards complaints'(-2-)) and for handling other cases relating to breaches of licence conditions are set out in the Guidelines for the handling of standards complaints and cases (in programmes, advertising and sponsorship) (http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/guidance/standards/).

1.7 The current procedures for handling complaints about unfair treatment or breaches of privacy during the making or showing of programmes and advertising ('fairness and privacy complaints') are set out in the Outline procedures for handling fairness & privacy complaints (http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/guidance/fairness/).

1.8 The current procedures for the consideration and determination of statutory sanctions(-3-) are set out in the Outline procedures for sanctions in cases relating to broadcasting (http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/ifiguidance/sanctions/).

1.9 The purpose of this consultation document is to seek views on proposed changes to these published procedures.

Timeframe

This consultation started on 11th June 2009 and ended on 21st August 2009.

Consultation Documents

Here are the documents we were able to locate that relate to this consultation: