From:
Subject:
Date:
To:
Richard Hutt richard.hutt@bbc.co.uk
RE: Case number CAS-1876642-T7WTSZ
23 October 2013 12:27
Balding, David Joseph d.balding@ucl.ac.uk
Dear%Professor%Balding
%
I%write%to%update%you%on%my%progress%regarding%your%complaints.
%
As%you%know,%I%promised%to%look%into%the%handling%of%your%complaint%with%senior%colleagues%in%BBC
Audience%Services.%%Lee%Rogers,%Complaints%Manager,%has%offered%the%following%response:
%
“I%would%like%to%apologise%unreservedly%for%the%very%poor%handling%of%your%complaint%which%you%first
raised%in%August%2012.%%Having%reviewed%the%correspondence%I%was%disappointed%by%the%number%of
errors%that%were%made%by%my%colleagues%in%BBC%Audience%Services,%from%incorrectly%rejecMng%the
iniMal%complaint%on%the%grounds%that%it%was%outside%the%scope%of%our%complaints%process,%to%the
extremely%long%delay%in%responding%to%your%followOup%email.%
%
“The%poor%quality%of%service%you%received%does%not%reflect%our%normal%standard%of%work,%but%I%realise
this%will%be%of%liSle%consolaMon%to%you.%%There%appears%to%be%no%underlying%reason%why%your
complaint%was%dealt%with%so%badly%and%it%would%seem,%unfortunately,%that%a%number%of%people%who
handled%this%case%at%various%stages%performed%poorly.%%I%will%be%raising%this%maSer%with%their%line
managers%in%order%to%ensure%that%this%sort%of%thing%does%not%happen%again.%%In%the%meanMme,%I%hope
you%will%accept%my%apologies%for%what%has%happened.”
%
Lee%Rogers
Complaints%Manager
BBC%Audience%Services
%
Should%you%remain%unhappy%on%this%point%despite%this%explanaMon,%it%would%be%open%to%you%to%bring
your%concerns%to%the%Editorial%Standards%CommiSee%of%the%BBC%Trust.%%The%ESC%would%also%be%able%to
hear%appeals%from%you%on%the%other%aspects%of%your%complaint,%should%you%be%dissaMsfied%with%any
of%the%responses%you%receive%at%“Stage%2”%of%the%BBC’s%procedures.%%%You%may%therefore%prefer%to
wait%unMl%you%have%had%the%opportunity%to%review%those%replies%before%bringing%your%concerns%to
the%Trust.%%If%you%would%prefer%to%do%so%immediately%please%let%me%know%and%I%will%pass%along%contact
details%for%them.%
%
I%have%also,%as%promised,%raised%your%concerns%on%The%One%Show%and%Meet%the%Izzards%with%senior
editorial%staff%in%BBC%Television.%%They%have%declined%to%consider%those%complaints%at%this%point%–
here%is%their%explanaMon:
%
“The%Complaints%Framework,%Procedure%No.1,%sets%out%the%Mmeframes%in%which%‘Stage%1a’%and
‘Stage%1b’%complaints%should%normally%be%submiSed%to%the%BBC.%The%full%Procedure%is%available
here:%%
%
hSp://downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/regulatory_framework/protocols/2012/comp
laints_fr_work_ed_complaints.pdf
%
The%episode%of%The%One%Show%to%which%your%email%to%the%ECU%refers%was%broadcast%on%7%March
2013.%I%can%find%no%record%of%you%having%submiSed%a%‘Stage%1a’%complaint%about%this%programme
within%the%usual%30%working%day%Mmeframe.
%
Meet%the%Izzards%was%originally%broadcast%on%20O21%February%2013.%You%did%submit%a%‘Stage%1a’
Meet%the%Izzards%was%originally%broadcast%on%20O21%February%2013.%You%did%submit%a%‘Stage%1a’
complaint%about%this%programme%on%2%March%2013%and%a%detailed%response%was%sent%on%15%March
2013%but%I%can%find%no%record%of%you%having%submiSed%a%‘Stage%1b’%complaint%within%the%usual%20
working%day%Mmeframe.%
%
As%such,%and%I%realise%this%may%come%as%a%disappointment,%I%do%not%propose%to%invesMgate%your
complaints%about%these%broadcasts.%Your%right%to%appeal%this%decision%is%set%out%in%Procedure%No.1,
linked%above.”
%
Paul%Wheeler
Complaints%Management%and%Editorial%Standards%Adviser
BBC%Television
%
I%should%note%that%(regardless%of%the%outcome%of%any%appeal%you%may%choose%to%make)%this%decision
does%not%mean%that%there%is%no%prospect%of%your%general%concerns%on%the%impact%of%those
programmes%being%considered%by%the%BBC.%%You%have%also%expressed%concern%at%the%cumulaMve
effect%of%coverage%of%and%references%to%Alistair%Moffat%and%Britains/Scotlands%DNA%across%BBC
output.%%As%you%know,%I%am%currently%exploring%a%response%to%you%on%this%point%from%the%DirectorO
General’s%office.%%It%seems%to%me%that%this%invesMgaMon%could%consider%the%impact%of%the%two
programmes%you%have%raised%issues%with,%in%the%context%of%their%cumulaMve%impact%on%audiences%–
and%that%it%could%look%at%whether,%considered%as%a%whole,%this%amounted%to%undue%product
prominence%or%gave%the%impression%of%endorsement.
%
On%this%point,%I%am%currently%conducMng%some%research%into%coverage%across%the%BBC.%%Trawling
through%the%BBC’s%output%is%far%from%straighiorward%(it%is%not%possible%to%perform%a%simple%text
search,%for%instance).%%It%would%therefore%be%very%helpful%to%me%if%you%were%able%to%provide%any
informaMon%you%might%have%–%programme%Mtles%or%dates%–%on%the%appearances%which%caused%you
concern.
%
My%apologies%once%again%for%the%somewhat%convoluted%processes%engaged%by%the%various%aspects%of
your%complaint%–%my%intenMon%is%to%make%certain%all%your%points%are%fairly%considered.%
%
On%your%quesMon%regarding%my%point%3,%I%should%the%remit%of%this%unit%extends%to%complaints%about
material%broadcast%or%published%by%the%BBC%–%and%there%is%a%disMncMon%to%be%made%between%the
circumstances%of%programme%producMon%and%the%broadcast%itself.%%Problems%in%the%making%of%a
programme%might%result%in%a%broadcast%which%met%the%BBC’s%editorial%standards,%whereas%a
programme%might%be%in%breach%of%those%standards%despite%a%process%which%met%best%pracMce
guidelines.%%I%hope%that%explains%why%we%are%limited%to%a%strict%consideraMon%of%what%was%aired,
rather%than%the%circumstances%behind%it.%%%However%I%do%think%that%the%response%you%receive%from
BBC%News%should%address%those%concerns.
%
Yours%sincerely
%
Richard%HuS
%
%
%
From: Balding, David Joseph [mailto:d.balding@ucl.ac.uk]
Sent: 10 October 2013 10:04
To: Richard Hutt
Subject: Re: Case number CAS-1876642-T7WTSZ