Jake Kanter at Deadline has got hold of an email to Lord Alton, from Sean O'Hara, Executive Vice President, Global Advertising & BBC StoryWorks at BBC Studios. Mr O'Hara defends the programmes made for BBC World News with sponsorship from a range of Chinese companies, including Huwaei.
Dear Lord Alton,
Thank you for your email outlining your concerns.
The commercial income generated from advertising provides vital investment in BBC News, ensuring that we are able to sustain our global network of journalists and continue to bring independent and impartial news to the UK and beyond. I’d like to assure you that it has no influence on our editorial output which, as our recent coverage shows, covers stories relating to China extensively and without fear or favour.
The BBC has robust guidelines which govern advertising on our platforms, and we take great care to ensure that all advertising content complies with them, as well as the external advertising laws and regulatory frameworks in the countries in which we operate. As you would expect, all of our activity is subject to a rigorous compliance process, and in the case of the content we have created for Huawei and for CGTN, was referred for senior editorial approval outside of the division. Each decision is made on a case by case basis and is considered within the context of the situation at the time.
Alongside my colleagues across the wider BBC, we regularly review our guidelines and consider whether they and their interpretation strike the right balance between achieving commercial income and safeguarding our reputation with audiences and other key stakeholders, and will absolutely feed your concerns here into that ongoing process.
With very best wishes
Sean
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