Broadcasting Regulation
Culture Media and Sport
Written answers and statements, 10 April 2002
Mrs Anne McIntosh (Vale of York, Conservative)
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which elements of the programme content rules imposed upon broadcasters cover (a) responsibility in religious programme content, (b) exploitation of audience susceptibilities, (c) abuse/ incitement to hatred, (d) declaration of identity of religious bodies involved in programmes, (e) accuracy and fairness, (f) recognition of other religions, (g) appeals and donations, (h) recruitment, (i) claims and substantiation, (j) blasphemy and obscenity, (k) unacceptable organisations or practices, (l) religious advertising and (m) religious worship; and what assessment she has made of whether these rules adequately regulate the content of religious broadcasting.
Dr Kim Howells (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Pontypridd, Labour)
The information is set out in the following table:
| Question | Provision |
|---|---|
| (a) Responsibility in religious programme content | BSC: Code on Standards (Section 31) ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7) BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 6: Section 9) RAu: Programme Code Rule 7 |
| (b) Exploitation of audience susceptibilities | BSC: Code on Standards (Section 17) ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) (i) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7.7) BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 6, especially sections 1,2,3 and 6) RAu: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 90 (2)(c) and Programme Code Rule 7.1 |
| (c) Abuse/incitement to hatred | BSC: Code on Standards (Sections 36–43) ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) (ii) and ITC Programme Code (Sections 7.2 and 7.6) BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 37: Section 9 and Chapter 9: Sections 1 and 4.2) RAu: Broadcasting Act 1990, Section 90 (2) (c); Programme Code Rule 7.1 and Programme Code Rule 7.2 |
| (d) Declaration of identity of religious bodies involved in programmes | BSC: Code on Fairness and Privacy (Section 6) ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7.4) BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 24: Section 10) RAu: Programme Code Rule 7.3 |
| (e) Accuracy and fairness | BSC: Code on Fairness and Privacy (Sections 2–13) ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (c) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7.2) BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 2: Part Two and Chapter 3) RAu: Programme Code Rule 7.4 |
| (f) Recognition of other religions | BSC: Code on Standards (Section 31) ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) (ii) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7.2) BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 6: Section 9) RAu: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 90(2)(c) and Programme Code Rule 7.2 |
| (g) Appeals and donations | BSC: Code on Standards (Section 13) ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Sections 6 (1) (d) (i) and 7 (1) (b) and ITC Programme Code (Sections 6 and 7.5) BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 30: Section 4) RAu: Broadcasting Act 1990 Section 2 (c) (i) and Programme Code Rule 7.7 and Programme Code Rule 6 |
| (h) Recruitment | BSC: Code on Standards (Section 13) ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7.6) BBC: Not applicable RAu: Programme Code Rule 7.6 |
| (i) Claims and substantiation | BSC: Code on Fairness and Privacy (Sections 7–10) ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7.8) BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 2) RAu: Programme Code Rule 7.9 |
| (j) Blasphemy and obscenity | BSC: Blasphemy—Code on Standards (Section 31) Obscenity—Code on Standards (Section 82) ITC: Blasphemy—Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (a) and (d) (ii) & ITC Programme Code (Sections 1.5 and 1.8) Obscenity—Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (a) and ITC Programme Code (Sections 1.5 and 1.6) BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 6: Sections 9 and 10 and Chapter 37: Section 7) RAu: Programme Code Rule 7.2 |
| (k) Unacceptable organisations and practices | BSC: Code on Standards (Sections 34 and 45–47) ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (a) and ITC Programme Code (Section 5) BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapters 8, 15 and 18) RAu: Programme Code Rule 7.5 |
| (l) Religious advertising | BSC: Code on Standards (Section 13) ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) and ITC Programme Code (Sections 7.5–7.9) BBC: Not applicable. RAu: Advertising and Sponsorship Code, particularly Section 3, Rule 3 Religion, Faith and Related Systems of Belief |
| (m) Religious worship | BSC: Code on Standards (Section 31) ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) and ITC Programme Code (Sections 7.1–7.3) BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 6: Section 9) RAu: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 90 (2)(c) and Programme Code Rule 7.1 |
We stated in the Communications White Paper that we will "maintain the requirement that due responsibility be exercised with respect to the content of religious programmes. Under the Broadcasting Act 1990, such programmes must not involve an improper exploitation of any susceptibilities of those watching or any abusive treatment of the religious views and beliefs of those belonging to a particular religion or religious denomination" [6.9.1]. The regulators are responsible for the Codes and guidelines, and from time to time to review them. Copies are available from the regulators.We are considering, in the light of the responses to the various consultations on ownership of the permitted licences by religious organisations, whether or not to retain rules in this respect also.