Post by charmbrights on Feb 4, 2015 19:39:18 GMT
What a pleasant and anodyne "piss off"! Note the last sentence (I have highlighted it in red.)
Dear Dxx
Please find attached the response to your request for information, reference RFI20150036
Yours sincerely,
The Information Policy and Compliance Team
BBC Information Policy and Compliance
BC2B6, Broadcast Centre
201 Wood Lane
London W12 7TP, UK
British Broadcasting Corporation Room BC2 B6 Broadcast Centre White City Wood Lane London W12 7TP Telephone 020 8008 2882 Email foi@bbc.co.uk Dxx Information Policy & Compliance bbc.co.uk/foi bbc.co.uk/privacy
Dxx
Via email: dxx
04/02/2015
Dear Dxx
Freedom of Information Act 2000 – RFI20150036
Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act (‘the Act’) of 09/01/2015, seeking:
‘Who authorised the support of terrorist demands by inserting the wording "The Prophet Mohammed must not be represented in any shape or form" in the BBC editorial guidelines?’
Please note that the information you have requested is excluded from the Act, however, on this occasion we are happy to volunteer the following information:
The BBC’s Editorial Policy Guidance notes are produced with input from members of the editorial policy team. The Use of Stills Photographs and Images Guidance Note would have had a number of authors and was intended to apply to the use of stills for publicity and promotional purposes. It remains unlikely that a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad would be used by the BBC in those contexts.
But the Guidance note has been updated and is available at www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/page/guidance-stills-photographs-summary/
It now reflects the policy the BBC has followed for News and other output since the Danish cartoon controversy. Cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad have certainly been shown from time to time on the BBC since then, including during the recent events surrounding Charlie Hebdo.
The information you have requested is excluded from the Act because it is held for the purposes of ‘journalism, art or literature.’ The BBC is therefore not obliged to provide this information to you and will not be doing so on this occasion. Part VI of Schedule 1 to FOIA provides that information held by the BBC and the other public service broadcasters is only covered by the Act if it is held for ‘purposes other than those of journalism, art or literature”. The BBC is not required to supply information held for the purposes of creating the BBC’s output or information that supports and is closely associated with these creative activities.
For more information about how the Act applies to the BBC please see the enclosure which follows this letter. Please note that this guidance is not intended to be a comprehensive legal interpretation of how the Act applies to the BBC.
The limited application of the Act to public service broadcasters was to protect freedom of expression and the rights of the media under Article 10 European Convention on Human Rights (“ECHR”). The BBC, as a media organisation, is under a duty to impart information and ideas on all matters of public interest and the importance of this function has been recognised by the European Court of Human Rights. Maintaining our editorial independence is a crucial factor in enabling the media to fulfil this function.
That said, the BBC makes a huge range of information available about our programmes and content on bbc.co.uk. We also proactively publish information covered by the Act on our publication scheme and regularly handle requests for information under the Act.
Appeal Rights
The BBC does not offer an internal review when the information requested is not covered by the Act. If you disagree with our decision you can appeal to the Information Commissioner. The contact details are: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow SK9 5AF. Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 (national rate) or see www.ico.gov.uk/.
Please note that should the Information Commissioner’s Office decide that the Act does cover this information, exemptions under the Act might then apply.
Yours sincerely,
BBC Information Policy & Compliance Team
Dear Dxx
Please find attached the response to your request for information, reference RFI20150036
Yours sincerely,
The Information Policy and Compliance Team
BBC Information Policy and Compliance
BC2B6, Broadcast Centre
201 Wood Lane
London W12 7TP, UK
From: Dxx
Sent: 09 January 2015 10:24
To: FOI Enquiries
Subject: RFI20150036 - Support of terrorist demands
Who authorised the support of terrorist demands by inserting the wording "The Prophet Mohammed must not be represented in any shape or form" in the BBC editorial guidelines?
Sent: 09 January 2015 10:24
To: FOI Enquiries
Subject: RFI20150036 - Support of terrorist demands
Who authorised the support of terrorist demands by inserting the wording "The Prophet Mohammed must not be represented in any shape or form" in the BBC editorial guidelines?
British Broadcasting Corporation Room BC2 B6 Broadcast Centre White City Wood Lane London W12 7TP Telephone 020 8008 2882 Email foi@bbc.co.uk Dxx Information Policy & Compliance bbc.co.uk/foi bbc.co.uk/privacy
Dxx
Via email: dxx
04/02/2015
Dear Dxx
Freedom of Information Act 2000 – RFI20150036
Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act (‘the Act’) of 09/01/2015, seeking:
‘Who authorised the support of terrorist demands by inserting the wording "The Prophet Mohammed must not be represented in any shape or form" in the BBC editorial guidelines?’
Please note that the information you have requested is excluded from the Act, however, on this occasion we are happy to volunteer the following information:
The BBC’s Editorial Policy Guidance notes are produced with input from members of the editorial policy team. The Use of Stills Photographs and Images Guidance Note would have had a number of authors and was intended to apply to the use of stills for publicity and promotional purposes. It remains unlikely that a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad would be used by the BBC in those contexts.
But the Guidance note has been updated and is available at www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/page/guidance-stills-photographs-summary/
It now reflects the policy the BBC has followed for News and other output since the Danish cartoon controversy. Cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad have certainly been shown from time to time on the BBC since then, including during the recent events surrounding Charlie Hebdo.
The information you have requested is excluded from the Act because it is held for the purposes of ‘journalism, art or literature.’ The BBC is therefore not obliged to provide this information to you and will not be doing so on this occasion. Part VI of Schedule 1 to FOIA provides that information held by the BBC and the other public service broadcasters is only covered by the Act if it is held for ‘purposes other than those of journalism, art or literature”. The BBC is not required to supply information held for the purposes of creating the BBC’s output or information that supports and is closely associated with these creative activities.
For more information about how the Act applies to the BBC please see the enclosure which follows this letter. Please note that this guidance is not intended to be a comprehensive legal interpretation of how the Act applies to the BBC.
The limited application of the Act to public service broadcasters was to protect freedom of expression and the rights of the media under Article 10 European Convention on Human Rights (“ECHR”). The BBC, as a media organisation, is under a duty to impart information and ideas on all matters of public interest and the importance of this function has been recognised by the European Court of Human Rights. Maintaining our editorial independence is a crucial factor in enabling the media to fulfil this function.
That said, the BBC makes a huge range of information available about our programmes and content on bbc.co.uk. We also proactively publish information covered by the Act on our publication scheme and regularly handle requests for information under the Act.
Appeal Rights
The BBC does not offer an internal review when the information requested is not covered by the Act. If you disagree with our decision you can appeal to the Information Commissioner. The contact details are: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow SK9 5AF. Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 (national rate) or see www.ico.gov.uk/.
Please note that should the Information Commissioner’s Office decide that the Act does cover this information, exemptions under the Act might then apply.
Yours sincerely,
BBC Information Policy & Compliance Team