What are Video and Audio News releases?
When official bodies, commercial companies, campaigning organisations or other groups supply broadcasters with ready-made programme content to comment on a story, or to seek exposure for an issue or their activities, then the content should be considered a Video or Audio News Release.
It may take the form of a feature, interview material or pictures and may have been produced by the organisation itself, or by production companies acting on its behalf. It may be distributed directly to broadcasters, or the material may be put on video sharing or social media websites. It may also include voice notes sent by an organisation or individual as a pre-recorded right of reply.
Using Video and Audio News Releases
The BBC should be reluctant to use Video and Audio news releases or other material supplied by an outside organisation. This includes material from companies, emergency services, Government agencies, interest groups, campaigners, charities or other organisations seeking a platform. The fact that the organisation has a vested interest in the subject matter may give rise to concerns about the editorial integrity of the material and cause the audience to doubt the accuracy of the content. Whilst the organisation supplying the material may claim that it has been produced objectively, the BBC cannot vouch for the circumstances in which it was gathered or the editorial standards applied.
Extracts from such releases should normally only be used when the BBC is incapable of gathering the material itself and its use is justified by its editorial significance. The overall editorial value of any material must be considered, rather than simply its pictorial impact.
Any use of Video and Audio News Releases, or other material supplied by outside organisations, should be clearly labelled. It must be stated who supplied it and any relevant circumstances in which it was gathered should be explained.
The following advice also applies:
- Where material is made available by the perpetrators of extreme violence in pursuit of political or ideological objectives, hijackings, kidnaps, hostage taking, sieges, bombings or other similar events, great care should be taken to consider the ethical, legal and harm and offence issues around the use of the material.
- Video or Audio News Releases of news events or press conferences from which the BBC has been deliberately excluded should be used only in exceptional circumstances. The source of the material should be made clear, along with the fact that the BBC was prevented from gathering the material ourselves.
- The use of interview or soundbite material should normally be avoided as the BBC cannot be sure of the circumstances in which the interview was carried out. If it is used, steps should be taken to inform the audience of the source of the material. It may also be appropriate to explain why there is no BBC interview.
Privacy and Fairness issues
Material supplied by third parties may pose issues of privacy, as well as concerns about accuracy, anonymity, offence, defamation, contempt of court or data protection.
Consideration should be given to the privacy of individuals who may be featured in the material and whether the organisation supplying the content has obtained any necessary consent. For example, video from emergency services may raise issues of intrusion when victims or patients are depicted.
A News Release that tells a story about the organisation that provided it may give an unrealistic or overly favourable impression of that organisation. Such material should normally be used only to illustrate the way in which the organisation is promoting itself, rather than to tell the story itself.
- Sequences including commentary or incidental music provided by the supplier of the material should be used only to show how the organisation promotes or portrays itself.
- If a Video News Release is used to illustrate a more general story, shots selected should avoid promoting the supplier of the material or their products and services. Wherever possible, the news release should be used in conjunction with other illustrative material.
- The BBC should not accept any editorial restrictions placed by the supplier on the use of any Audio or Video News Release material.
(See guidance: Links and Feeds)