Call for improved programme controls

BECTU is calling for tighter controls and better training for television employees following recent revelations of viewer deception.

BECTU General Secretary Gerry Morrissey has spoken out about the RDF/BBC fiasco, which came to light last week over manipulated footage that allegedly showed the Queen 'storming out' of a photo shoot with photographer Annie Leibovitz.

Gerry Morrissey said: "This recent debacle points to a alarming trend in programme-making.

"While the BBC and other broadcasters are shedding staff jobs, and increased commissions are being farmed out to independent production companies, competition between these companies is increasingly fierce and the loss of integrity is the biggest outcome of this process."

He went on to highlight the recent spate of rigged and mismanaged telephone voting programmes by, amongst others:

• ITV for its You Say, We Pay with Ofcom levying a record £150,000
• The BBC for deceiving viewers over a Blue Peter phone-in leading to a £50,000 Ofcom fine, the first in the Corporation's history

Morrissey continued: "These incidents are seriously denting the public's faith in broadcasting.

"But alongside this breakdown is another trend that needs addressing: more and more graduates are flooding the marketplace without sufficient training and are being hired at the expense of established, experienced workers, leaving the industry open to errors of judgement and in some cases manipulation of the truth.

"What we need is a industry-wide strategy to address training in broadcasting and safeguards to ensure there is the right combination of experienced in-house staff and freelancers.

"Broadcasters must not see indies, who employ staff on lower salaries with little or no pension provision and generally fewer benefits, as a cheap option."