The BBC has recently released updated guidelines regarding the personal use of social media for all employees working at the public broadcaster. The new guidelines place a strong emphasis on the impartiality and civility expected from hosts of flagship programs, stating that they are prohibited from endorsing or attacking political parties, campaigning by proxy, or posting frequently on issues that resemble one party’s manifesto while criticizing government or opposition policy agendas. This update follows a controversy involving sports pundit Gary Lineker, whose Twitter post sparked a review of the BBC’s social media guidance.
The revised guidelines, which focus on promoting high standards of civility in public discourse and upholding the reputation of the BBC, were developed after a review conducted by former TV executive John Hardie. Hardie’s review examined the BBC’s existing guidance on individual use of social media.
The Gary Lineker controversy drew significant attention and prompted the BBC to take action. Lineker had used his social media platform to comment on the UK government’s handling of migrants crossing the English Channel from France, stating that the government’s policy was cruel and reminiscent of language used in Germany during the 1930s. As a result, BBC director-general Tim Davie ordered a review, and Hardie conducted extensive interviews with over 80 individuals associated with the BBC, both internal and external.
In his conclusions, Hardie emphasized the need for the BBC to promote civility in public discourse and ensure that BBC presenters respect diversity of opinion and exemplify the organization’s ethos of civility on social media. In response to his findings, the BBC has updated its social media guidance for staff and freelancers. The updated guidelines, which were initially published in the fall of 2020, include specific instructions for those presenting flagship programs. The BBC aims to strike a balance between freedom of expression, the responsibilities of freelancers to the BBC, and the expectations of its audience while maintaining clear, simple, transparent, and enforceable rules.
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The key elements of the updated guidelines are as follows:
1. Those working in news, current affairs, and factual journalism production, as well as all senior leaders, have a special responsibility to uphold the BBC’s impartiality on social media. Therefore, they must abide by the strictest rules on impartiality.
2. Presenters of flagship programs on the BBC have an even greater responsibility to respect the BBC’s impartiality due to their high profile. This responsibility extends to their use of social media during the time their programs are on air and for a two-week window before and after the transmission of each series they present.
3. While other BBC staff and freelancers are not required to uphold impartiality on social media, they are expected to respect civility in public discourse and avoid bringing the BBC into disrepute.
The report released by Hardie also highlighted that non-news presenters of other broadcasters rarely face explicit prohibitions on taking sides on party political issues, using the BBC as a role model for upholding standards of impartiality.
The BBC’s revised guidelines aim to ensure that all employees understand their responsibilities regarding the use of social media, particularly when it comes to impartiality and civility. By setting clearer guidelines, the BBC seeks to maintain its reputation for unbiased reporting and promote healthy public discourse.
In conclusion, the BBC’s updated social media guidelines emphasize the importance of impartiality and civility in public discourse, particularly for hosts of flagship programs. The controversy surrounding Gary Lineker’s social media post prompted a review, which led to the development of clearer guidelines to ensure that the BBC remains a standard-bearer for upholding impartiality and professionalism in broadcasting. These guidelines aim to strike a balance between freedom of expression and the responsibilities of employees to the organization while maintaining the BBC’s reputation for providing unbiased news and promoting healthy public discourse.
