[cma-l] Climate Radio programmes available!

[tlr at gairloch.co.uk]

Even though it would be hard to regard climate change as controversial in itself
any more, the question of what to do about it, which is what I think the
programmes (sensibly) focus on, is still well within the very broad definition
of public controversy. Indeed a recurrent theme in Phil England's curren
tpodcasts is that "this is a political issue". Even without that, it would
definitely contravene the legal ban on radio stations seeking to influence the
decisions of statutory bodies (the only exception being where those decisions
directly affect the radio station's interests).
 
We ran across the breadth of the definition of 'political ends' when asked to
advertise a public meeting taking place that was seeking to persuade the
National Trust for Scotland to modify some local policies. We referred the
question to the RAB who said it could definitely not be advertised.
 
I am no fan of the general concept of 'balance', but presenting them as authored
pieces that are debated after might be a solution. However, it would probably
also reduce the number of stations able/willin gto give them airing.
 
I think the public as a whole is relatively unaware of the fact that newspapers
are free to be as politically partisan as they wish, and under no general duty
to publich the truth and 'blanced opinions', when radio stations are very
strictly constrained to do so.
 
Alex

> On 29 January 2015 at 20:42 Phil Korbel <phil at radioregen.org> wrote:
> 
>  very interesting point Alex
> 
>  I dont know the programmes, but it is my understanding that climate change
> and the role of humankind in causing it is not deemed to be controversial with
> Ofcom demanding 'balance' on the issue (such is the overwhelming scientific
> consensus on the issue)
> 
>  That said there is ample room for such controversy in what to do about it. If
> Phil England's pieces, on their own, might be seen as biased and thus not
> Ofcom compliant, could a station remedy it by presenting them as 'authored
> pieces' that are debated afterwards?
> 
>  None of this is intended to dissuade you from covering this vital topic...
> 
>  bests
> 
>  Phil
> 
>  Phil Korbel FRSA - Director, Radio Regen, charity no. 1077763
> 
 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.commedia.org.uk/pipermail/cma-l/attachments/20150129/9cbe0460/attachment.html>