Parliamentary Footage and Footage from Other Assemblies

Although no longer a provision of the Code, there are rules which apply to the use within programmes of footage licensed from within Parliament and certain other assemblies. In relation to Westminster and the House of Commons and House of Lords (including Committees in both Houses) these include the following:

• Footage must not be manipulated i.e. pictures or the sound altered in any way.
• Where two sections of a speech are included, it must be clear to viewers that an edit has been made and that the speech as presented is not continuous.
• Normally parliamentary footage may only be included in news and factual programmes. If parliamentary footage is to be used in a non-factual/news context then producers must refer to legal and compliance for advice.

 

Similarly there are rules that apply in relation to footage from within the European Parliament, Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly. There are currently no restrictions regarding coverage of the London Assembly.

 

Online and Social Media

The due impartiality requirements of the Code apply to what is broadcast on television. They do not apply to news and other content (relating to matters of political or industrial controversy or matters relating to current public policy) on the internet. However, as a matter of policy, online content should also be duly impartial on matters of political and industrial controversy and current public policy.

Presenters and Journalists should be particularly careful about comments on such issues on Channel 4 sites.