Impartiality is top priority for updated BBC editorial policy

The BBC has made ‘impartiality’ its number one priority as part of its updated editorial policy, placing the much-debated issue ahead of ‘accuracy’.

Its guidelines, published today, will come into effect on 1 September and replace those which were published in 2019. In further updates, the BBC has emphasised how programme-makers should use AI in their output.

The detailed guidance on what impartiality means to the broadcaster, and how it should be applied to all output, is laid out in a section on the BBC’s website immediately after its Editorial Policy introduction and ahead of the section on accuracy, reflecting its utmost priority for the corporation.

Where the 2019 guidance around impartiality largely focused on politics and public policy, now it aims to encompass broader ‘controversial issues’. This includes any subjects which have a high level of public and political debate or sensitivity or are a matter of substantive debate or importance in a particular area or community.

The BBC has been rocked recently by issues around impartiality, with the corporation pulling the plug on Basement Films’ doc Gaza: Doctors Under Attack (aka Medics Under Attack) last Friday because it “risked creating a perception of partiality”. The doc had been delayed, initially, due to the BBC not wanting to prejudice the findings of the internal investigation into the editorial standards of Hoyo Films’ doc Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is thought to fall into the ‘controversial issues’ category.

Dramas could be impartial

The intention is to make it clearer that impartiality should be a key consideration across all output and not just current affairs.

It stresses that any personal view docs or dramas which may include the expression of a singular view on a ‘controversial subject’ should be referred to the chief adviser on politics, Ric Bailey, who is part of the editorial policy team.

This requirement also goes for any proposal to invite a politician to feature in output which would not normally include political opinions or ‘controversial issues’.

Unlike the 2019 guidance, the new policy stresses that impartiality rests on “good judgement” rather than a “mathematical formula” when it comes to reflecting all sides of a debate.

“It usually involves more than a simple matter of ‘balance’ between opposing viewpoints and does not prevent objective judgements being made,” it says.

It now stresses that impartiality is “key to a relationship of trust with audiences”, adding that this may mean “being transparent in explaining how impartiality is achieved”.

Use of AI

Elsewhere, the impartiality guidance also requires indies who want to use AI in their content to discuss it as part of the commissioning process, and for a senior editorial figure to be responsible and accountable for its use.

There is also a new section on the use of AI in the ‘accuracy’ section of the policy, requiring human oversight and editorial approval on any product that uses AI. It warns that algorithmic bias or training data use may lead to lead to inaccuracies.

“The BBC must not knowingly and materially mislead audiences through any use of AI,” it says.

“Any use of AI by the BBC must be transparent and clear to the audience. The audience should be informed in a manner appropriate to the context and it may be helpful to explain not just that AI has been used but how and why it has been used.”

The BBC set out separate guidelines for producers on the use of AI in January, outlining when the technology can be applied to shows.

The 2019 editorial policy will remain in place until its replacement in September.