Mr James Snowdome
[email address]
1 August 2008
Dear Mr Snowdome
Freedom of information request – RFI20080716
Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”) dated 2
July 2008, for the following information:
Can you please let me know, under the Freedom of Information Act, the total number of
complaints received in 2007, and so far in 2008, relating to political bias. Could you also
please split these in terms of complaints about left-wing bias and right-wing bias.
The BBC will not be providing you with part of the information you requested as we believe it
is not covered by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”).
The BBC and the other public service broadcasters are covered by the Act only in respect of
information held for purposes “other than those of journalism, art or literature” (see Schedule I,
Part VI of the Act). This means that we are not obliged to supply information held for the
purposes of creating the BBC’s output or which is closely associated with these creative
activities.
The dominant purpose for which the BBC holds complaint information is for reviewing
audience reaction to our programme content and informing decisions on how that content will
be produced and broadcast in the future. The information you have requested is held to
support the BBC’s creative output and is not covered by the Act and does not have to be
disclosed.
BBC Trust Editorial Standards Committee
While the BBC is not required under the Act to provide complaint information, the BBC
considers that once complaints reach the BBC Trust’s Editorial Standards Committee (ESC),
they fall within the scope of the Act as they are held for the primary purpose of enabling the
BBC Trust to fulfil a regulatory function under the Charter, rather than to inform decisions
around programme content.
ESC complaints are published on the Trust’s website:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/appeals/editorial_appeal_findings.html. Editorial Appeals Findings
are published quarterly and provide a summary of decisions about complaints to the ESC.
In 2007 there was one appeal heard which related to a complaint of anti-Labour bias and two
relating to a complaint of anti-Europe bias. Between January and July 2008 there have been
three appeals heard relating to complaints of left-wing bias, two relating to right-wing bias (anti
Labour/pro Tory) and one complaint about anti-independence in Scotland. These are available
from the Trust website except two which are in progress and will be published in due course.
None of the finalised complaints have been upheld.
Appeal Rights
Where the BBC has determined that the information requested falls outside the scope of the
FOI Act, we do not offer an internal review. However, if you are not satisfied with this
response you can appeal directly to the Information Commissioner. The contact details are:
Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF, telephone 01625 545 700 or see http://www.ico.gov.uk/
Yours sincerely
A Chard
Adviser, Information Policy & Compliance
