Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú
announces stop to journalists' newspaper columns
The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú today
announced changes to its guidelines covering the circumstances in
which Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú journalists, presenters and freelancers can write regular
columns for newspapers and magazines.
The changes
mean that no staff, or regular freelance journalist whose main profile
or income comes from the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú, will be able to write newspaper or
magazine columns on current affairs or other contentious issues.
The new arrangements
have been approved by the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Governors. However, current contracts
in place mean that some columns will continue until Spring next
year.
Articles
on specific Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú programmes that are part of an overall press and
publicity plan will be allowed, as will columns on non contentious
issues and food, film or music reviews, or syndicated articles that
appear first on Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú News online.
But
all must still be approved by a senior manager and submitted to
the relevant publication via the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Press Office.
Freelance
journalists whose main profile and income is not through the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú
will be exempt.
Current
staff and freelance contracts will not need amending.
Senior
news managers are already in discussion with those journalists affected,
the majority of whom are staff employees.
Director
of News Richard Sambrook said: "Impartiality is an essential
element to the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú's reputation and to our journalism.
"When
our journalists write in papers it is seen as an extension of their
work for the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú – yet columns and newspaper articles on controversial
issues depend on expressing opinions to an extent which is often
incompatible with the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú's impartiality.
"The
audience's trust in the independence of the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú's journalism on
all subjects is something we cannot afford to compromise."
The
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Producer Guidelines dealing with Conflict of Interest will now
be redrafted in line with the agreed changes.
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