About This Workshop

The Guidelines are the ultimate journalistic bible, drawing together almost one hundred years of editorial knowledge and know-how. They are the foundation of the BBC’s worldwide reputation for fairness and impartiality. Drawing on his vast experience, Leo will explain in great detail the fundamentals and meaning of impartial reporting and the tools required to ensure all output is both fair and accurate. In the final analysis, the setting of editorial standards is not about constricting what we do, it’s about helping reporters to be bold and challenging while standing firm on a platform of acquired wisdom and experience. Right now, more than ever before, nothing is more important than editorial integrity, the adherence to the highest ethical and professional standards, impartiality and the pursuit of truth. Workshop Details: Impartiality “Impartiality is NOT the same as balance” What do we really mean by impartial reporting? Do we really have to cover both sides of a story in every piece we do? In this session, we explore the true meaning of impartiality within the framework of fairness and accuracy. Due impartiality requires journalistic scrutiny and the consideration of a broad range of views, however it does not require absolute neutrality or equal voice to an opposing view that has no merit. Impartiality goes hand in glove with fairness and accuracy. In this session, we will make clear our obligation to: fact-checking, double sourcing and fair dealing. Using clear journalistic examples from around the world, we take your journalism skills to the next level. Using the BBC editorial guidelines as our baseline, we will define exactly what it means to be impartial. Building Trust Maintaining the trust our audiences place in us, is crucially important for any broadcast news organization. Trust can only be built on the expectation of impartial storytelling at all times. Winning trust is hard; losing it is simple. Trust and editorial integrity should be at the core of all the stories we tell. In this session we examine closely how the news gathering process, fair-dealing, shooting, editing and storytelling can all help to build trust with both contributors and the audiences we serve. We will explore how trust even extends to the way we conduct ourselves off-air and especially how we present ourselves publicly through social media. Reiterating the recently revised BBC Guidelines on personal brand and social media, we will look at why our opinions count.

About Your Instructor

Before joining Rosenblum TV, Leo Devine spent 35 years at the BBC as a journalist, programme-maker and senior manager. He was also the Head of Editorial Standards for BBC News and was part of the team that revised the published edition of the BBC Editorial Guidelines.