Category: Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ
Date: 08.02.2005
Printable version
The Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ today (Tuesday 8 February 2005) publishes the findings of the
Programme Complaints Unit (PCU) for the period 1 October to 31 December
2004.
In this quarter the Unit dealt with 498 complaints concerning 243 items.
122 complaints were upheld (13 of them partly) - 24.5% of the total.
Of the items investigated in this quarter, complaints were upheld against
31 items - 13% of the total.
Mark Thompson, Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ Director-General, said: "Our new procedures for
handling complaints across the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ came into operation on 1 February,
so this will be the last bulletin which records a full quarter's work
by the PCU.
"There's a change of name - to the Editorial Complaints Unit,
reflecting a somewhat wider remit - and a significant change in the
way it fits into the overall picture.
"In future, it will only investigate complaints from people who are
dissatisfied with the responses they have received from elsewhere in
the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ.
"This is because the emphasis of the new procedures is on establishing
a high standard of complaint-handling across the board, and ensuring
that as many complaints as possible are resolved at an early stage."
The complaints upheld (by category of complaint) involved:
Matters of fairness and accuracy:
Rony Robinson (Radio Sheffield), Today (Radio 4), Nurseries Undercover
- The Real Story (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ ONE), Campbeltown (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ TWO), Look East (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ ONE East),
Today (Radio 4), Royal Millions (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ ONE), Royal Lancashire Show (Radio Lancashire), News (Radio 4), Jonathan Ross (Radio 2), Who Are
Hamas? (bbc.co.uk), Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ News (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ ONE), News Report (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ News 24), Red
Runs The Vistula (Radio 4), Reporting
Scotland (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ ONE Scotland).
Matters of taste and standards:
Material between programmes (CÄ¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ), Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation
(Radio 4), They Think It's All Over (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ ONE), Jeremy Vine (Radio 2),
Jonathan Ross (Radio 2), What Not To Wear (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ ONE Scotland), The Blue Planet
(Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ ONE), The Jon Gaunt Show (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ WM), Olympics Today (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ ONE),
The 99p Challenge (Radio 4), Chris Moyles (Radio 1), The Heaven and
Earth Show (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ ONE), Where I Live (Leeds): Thermo Auricular Therapy
(bbc.co.uk).
Notes to Editors
The bulletin can be found at bbc.co.uk/complaints.
Following the introduction of the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ's new complaint procedure, which
came into effect on 1 February 2005, this will be last bulletin which
records a full quarter's work by the PCU.
Under the new procedure the PCU has become the Editorial Complaints
Unit (ECU) and is the first level of appeal rather than the initial
point of contact for serious complaints.
The new Editorial Complaints Unit (ECU) will publish quarterly reports
detailing all significant complaints upheld and not upheld, together
with statistics and information about all complaints handled by the
ECU.
The Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ's new procedure for handling complaints is underpinned by
an emphasis on greater transparency, objectivity and accountability.
Details of the new procedure including a new Code of Practice can be
found on a dedicated website - bbc.co.uk/complaints.
