BBC
Governors publish latest Programme Complaints Committee findings
BBC
Governors today (Wednesday 4 February 2004) publish the latest findings
of their Programme Complaints Committee for the period 1 October
to 31 December 2003.
The
Governors' Programme Complaints Committee (GPCC) is responsible
for monitoring complaints handling by the BBC, including hearing
appeals from complainants who are not happy with the response they
have received from BBC management.
The
GPCC came to a finding on 12 appeals in this quarter: seven concerned
matters of fairness or accuracy; and five concerned matters of taste
and decency.
Of
these appeals, two were upheld in full and one in part.
In
three of the appeals which were not upheld, the Committee required
that BBC management take further action to address issues raised
by the complainant.
In
the foreword to the bulletin, Chairman of the Governors' Programme
Complaints Committee, Sir Robert Smith, said: "In April 2003
the Committee agreed with Caroline Thomson, the Director of the
BBC's Policy and Legal Division, that the BBC should undertake a
review of its complaints handling process, drawing on independent
advice and best practice principles.
"Since
then, the Governors' Programme Complaints Committee has continued
to receive progress reports from BBC management."
He
continued: "In December, the BBC announced the appointment
of Mark Byford as Deputy Director-General with responsibility for
compliance and complaints.
"Mark
Byford, now Acting Director-General, will take forward the work
to enhance the BBC's complaints handling, and will report back to
the Committee in due course."
Notes
to Editors
The
Governors' Programme Complaints Committee bulletin
The
Governors' Programme Complaints Committee (GPCC) consists of five
Governors of the BBC, to whom the full Board of Governors have delegated
the power to consider appeals.
They
are: Sir Robert Smith, Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, Professor Fabian
Monds, Ranjit Sondhi and Angela Sarkis.
The
GPCC's conclusions are reported to the full Board.
It
is the specific function of the GPCC to consider appeals against
decisions and actions of the Programme Complaints Unit or of the
Directors of BBC Divisions in dealing with serious editorial complaints.
The
GPCC considers appeals in relation to complaints about programmes
transmitted, or material carried, by the BBC's domestic public services
on radio, television and online, and which allege:
that the complainant has suffered unfair treatment in a transmitted
item
that the complainant's privacy has been unjustifiably infringed,
either in a programme or item as transmitted or in the process of
making the programme or item, or
that there has otherwise been a failure adequately to observe the
BBC's editorial guidelines.
Related
release
BBC
publishes latest Programme Complaints Unit findings (04.02.04)
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