The BBC on Thursday unveiled new rules toughening the requirements in terms of impartiality for its employees on social networks, seeking to restore its credibility questioned following the public comments of some of its journalists.
Employees and freelancers of the powerful British public broadcasting group may be sacked for "
serious
"
violations
of these recommendations, the BBC said.
Under the new rules, BBC employees will not have to express personal opinions on political matters "
or on controversial matters
", whether on their professional or personal accounts.
They should also not publicly criticize their colleagues and their employer.
Also forbidden to support movements or participate in demonstrations.
Employees will also be asked to be cautious about certain actions, such as sharing tweets, “
likes
” and subscribing to Twitter accounts.
These rules will be even stricter for some BBC News services, for editors, and some hosts.
Build public confidence
The BBC is regularly accused of bias, on the left as on the right, especially in the electrical context of Brexit, voted by referendum in 2016 and effective since January 31.
It seeks to defend its reputation as a credible and irreproachable institution with the public in a very delicate period: it sees its funding questioned by the conservative power, very critical, and struggles to attract young audiences in the face of competition from streaming.
To read also: The boss of the BBC tackles the comedians of the left
“
Non-partisanship is the foundation upon which we produce relevant, compelling and cutting-edge
reporting,” new CEO Tim Davie said in an email to staff.
"
These recommendations are meant to help us continue to deliver this and to build public confidence
," said Davie, a former PepsiCo executive and member of the Conservative Party who took over the BBC on September 1.
Statements against Brexit
One of the stars in his sights is former professional footballer Gary Lineker, the highest-paid BBC presenter, who doesn't hesitate to voice his political views on Twitter, especially against Brexit.
Gary Lineker and other BBC employees recently backed a campaign by Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford, pressuring the government to continue providing free meals to the most disadvantaged children outside of school hours, during the coronavirus pandemic.
The BBC has also been singled out for failing to monitor the outside collaborations of its presenters.
North American reporter Jon Sopel was criticized last year for giving a paid speech to tobacco giant Philip Morris International in Miami, Florida.
Mr Davie said that under the new guidelines, employees will now be required to report "
certain types of work undertaken outside the BBC
", such as declarations by parliamentarians.
The chief executive also reportedly intends to cut some '
left
'
comedy shows
that the Tories accuse of bias on issues such as Brexit,
according to media reports
.
