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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>The Ofcom code is well-written and the associated
guidance documents are required reading for all station managers, but one
problem is that they tend to leave it entire to the station to decide on balance
- Ofcom will not give decision on a specific case in advance, but will step
in once it thinks a broadcast is in breach. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>A typical example is the guidance on political or
public controversy:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#800000>...Whether a “matter of political or industrial
controversy and matter relating to current public policy” is being dealt with in
a programme will depend on a range of factors. Just because a ‘political’ or
‘policy’ matter is referred to in a programme, or broadcasters deal with
particular matters that elicit strong emotions, does not mean that the special
impartiality rules are engaged. Conversely, just because a number of individuals
and institutions, or the majority of the audience to a service, share the same
viewpoint on a contentious issue, does not necessarily mean that a matter is
not, for example, a matter of political or industrial controversy.
...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>So it might be, or it might not be a matter of
controversy - I'm sure fossil-fuel industry people still maintain it is a
controversy! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>The law, and as a consequence the Ofcom code,
requires <FONT face=Arial><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eff5f5">"special
impartiality" to be shown on '<SPAN
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(239,245,245); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline !important; FONT: 12px/18px arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FLOAT: none; LETTER-SPACING: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); WORD-SPACING: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px">major
matters relating to current public policy', and there's hardly a more major
matter of public policy than climate change. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><FONT face=Arial><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eff5f5"><SPAN
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(239,245,245); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline !important; FONT: 12px/18px arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FLOAT: none; LETTER-SPACING: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); WORD-SPACING: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" size=2 face=Tahoma><SPAN
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(239,245,245); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline !important; FONT: 12px/18px arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FLOAT: none; LETTER-SPACING: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); WORD-SPACING: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px">I
guess it's down to each of us to make sure we have read the codes and the
guidance, and make the best decision we can.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" size=2 face=Tahoma><SPAN
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(239,245,245); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline !important; FONT: 12px/18px arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FLOAT: none; LETTER-SPACING: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); WORD-SPACING: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" size=2 face=Tahoma><SPAN
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(239,245,245); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; DISPLAY: inline !important; FONT: 12px/18px arial, helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FLOAT: none; LETTER-SPACING: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); WORD-SPACING: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px">Alex</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"
dir=ltr>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=alan.coote@5digital.co.uk
href="mailto:alan.coote@5digital.co.uk">Alan Coote</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=tlr@gairloch.co.uk
href="mailto:tlr@gairloch.co.uk">tlr@gairloch.co.uk</A> ; <A
title=cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk
href="mailto:cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk">'The Community Media Association
Discussion List'</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, January 30, 2015 10:53
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: [cma-l] Climate Radio
programmes available!</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=WordSection1>
<P class=MsoNormal><A name=_MailEndCompose><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">I
haven’t listen to the Climate Radio programmes yet so this is a general
comment. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></A></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">There
is bias of one form or another in all media – even broadcasting. Take the
disproportionate airtime given to Nigel Farage – (I make not political point
here). For a while last year UKIP managed to make sure he was available for
comment on practically every subject going. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">As
long as one doesn’t fall outside the Ofcom broadcast codes then, the acid test
I think is to be content that there isn’t “undue bias” given to a single point
of view across the programme. That goes for politics as much as it does for
local campaign groups or climate change.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Kind
Regards</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Alan<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma></FONT></o:p> </P></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>