‘It takes months to complain about the BBC’
VIEWERS will have to complain to the BBC three times before the regulator Ofcom will intervene in a process likely to take “several months”, critics say.
The BBC is overhauling its complaints system after Ofcom took over regulation in April, replacing the BBC Trust. But the Countryside Alliance has clashed with BBC bosses over the new framework, which the group believes has not improved the process.
In a letter in the run-up to a consultation on the plans that closes this week, Tim Bonner, the alliance’s chief executive, said the process could take “several months” and called for a rethink.
He says: “We are disappointed that the complaints framework requires three stages of complaint to the BBC before a complainant can take the complaint to Ofcom.
“Given the timescales for responding, it is likely that it could take several months before a complaint could be seen by Ofcom if the complainant were unhappy with the responses received from the BBC.
“Complaints about other public broadcasters can be taken to Ofcom at an early stage in the complaints pro- cedure, and ITV directs complainants to the Ofcom website to make initial complaints.”
Mr Bonner, who has often been at odds with Chris Packham, the BBC’s wildlife presenter, who Mr Bonner says is a “disciple of the animal rights movement”, added that the alliance had “submitted a number of complaints to the BBC and BBC Trust over the past 18 months which have not been upheld”.
A BBC spokesman said: “The Countryside Alliance have misconstrued this consultation, as it’s not in the power of the BBC or its complaints procedure to ‘sideline’ Ofcom.
“Ofcom’s role is set out by the Government and approved by Parliament in the Charter and Agreement which says clearly that the BBC should normally consider complaints in the first instance, but anyone will be free to go to Ofcom if they are not satisfied with the BBC’s response to editorial complaints.”