[cma-l] Climate Radio replies to CMA debate

Tue Mar 3 14:24:16 GMT 2015

Hi all

Let's get this straight, there is no longer any scientific controversy over
the causes of climate change and human-kind's significant role in causing
it.  The BBC - who were behind the curve on this, present the science well,
now, and have guidelines that reflect the above. NB BBC policy and Ofcoms
Production Guide are not the same thing.

As before, there's heaps of controversy on what to do about it, how fast
and severe the effects will be.

Use those basic pointers to guide yourself to appropriate levels of
balance. I for one applaud Phil's excellent programmes, and, IMO, if you
have an issue about their balance, follow them up with a debate.

Best wishes and good luck

Phil

(Director Radio Regen and The Carbon Literacy Project)

On Monday, 2 March 2015, Resonance104.4fm <info at resonancefm.com> wrote:

> You can read what other people have said about Climate Radio here:
> http://climateradio.org/about/testimonials/
>
> On Mon, Mar 2, 2015 at 12:01 PM, Alan Coote <alan.coote at 5digital.co.uk
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','alan.coote at 5digital.co.uk');>> wrote:
>
>> Alex, very well put.
>>
>> Alan
>>
>> Alan Coote
>> Managing Director
>> 5 Digital Limited
>>
>> Hear Alan Every Week on Let's Talk Business The UK's Premier Radio
>> Programme For Current and Future Entrepreneurs - Now Broadcast To Over 5
>> Million People  <http://www.letstalkbusinessonline.com/>
>>
>>
>> From: "tlr at gairloch.co.uk
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','tlr at gairloch.co.uk');>" <tlr at gairloch.co.uk
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','tlr at gairloch.co.uk');>>
>> Organization: Wester Ross Radio Ltd
>> Date: Monday, 2 March 2015 10:42
>> To: "Resonance104.4fm" <info at resonancefm.com
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','info at resonancefm.com');>>, "
>> cma-l at commedia.org.uk
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','cma-l at commedia.org.uk');>" <
>> cma-l at commedia.org.uk
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','cma-l at commedia.org.uk');>>
>> Subject: Re: [cma-l] Climate Radio replies to CMA debate
>>
>> Phil
>>
>> I do hope your programmes get the airing they deserve, but...
>>
>> ...to avoid anyone getting the wrong idea, I think it ought to be pointed
>> out that contrary to your suggestion, the requirements of the law and the
>> Broadcasting Code's section on due impartiality definitely are not
>> restricted to news coverage.
>>
>> To be sure there are much stricter requirements on news, in that it the
>> code requires *all* news content to have due impartiality, whereas for
>> general programming it is only mandated for matters of public policy
>> or controversy. Additionally, the law prohibits radio stations from
>> editorially seeking to influence the decisions of statutory bodies (except
>> where they directly and specifically affect the radio station itself).
>>
>> Ofcom's interpretation of the law is set out here:
>> http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/broadcast-codes/broadcast-code/impartiality/.
>> As you will see, rules 5.1 to 5.3 do apply to news only, but the broader
>> rules 5.4 to 5.12 apply to all programming.
>>
>> I guess it comes down to a decision as to whether you consider action
>> against climate change a matter of political controversy and/or public
>> policy, but from Ofcom's definition it's hard to see how it could be
>> anything other than that. From the above document:
>>
>> *-----------*
>> *Meaning of "matters of political or industrial controversy and matters
>> relating to current public policy":*
>> Matters of political or industrial controversy are political or
>> industrial issues on which politicians, industry and/or the media are in
>> debate. Matters relating to current public policy need not be the subject
>> of debate but relate to a policy under discussion or already decided by a
>> local, regional or national government or by bodies mandated by those
>> public bodies to make policy on their behalf, for example non-governmental
>> organisations, relevant European institutions, etc.
>> -------------
>>
>> I guess para 5.9 is the most relevant here:
>>
>> -------------
>> ...presenters of "personal view" or "authored" programmes or items, and
>> chairs of discussion programmes may express their own views on matters of
>> political or industrial controversy or matters relating to current public
>> policy. However, alternative viewpoints must be adequately represented
>> either in the programme, or in a series of programmes taken as a whole.
>> Additionally, presenters must not use the advantage of regular appearances
>> to promote their views in a way that compromises the requirement for due
>> impartiality
>> -------------
>>
>> I guess stations could take the view that on the subject of climate
>> change a fleeting mention of climate change denial is adequate
>> representation of it, since it seems so utterly refuted by the scientific
>> evidence, but that still leaves the question of whether a prgramme can
>> support a specific line of stautory action on a matter of controversy (ie
>> the controversy is over how it should be tackled, not whether it should be
>> tackled).
>>
>> As I said, personally I applaud the programmes, but I think we all need
>> to be aware of the decision we are/would be taking in broadcasting them,
>> and be ready to defend the decisions robustly if challenged.
>>
>> Alex
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Resonance104.4fm
> 144 Borough High Street
> London SE1 1LB
> UK
> www.resonancefm.com
>
>

-- 
Sent on the hoof!
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