Complaint
A listener complained that a reference to rising water bills was misleading and indicative of bias because the increase in Scotland was expressed as a percentage whereas the increase in England and Wales had been expressed in monetary terms. The ECU considered whether the broadcast met the 麻豆社鈥檚 editorial standards of accuracy and impartiality set out in the 麻豆社 Editorial Guidelines.
Outcome
The ECU accepted that the reference would have been more easily intelligible to listeners if both sets of data had been presented in the same format. However, the focus of the item in which it occurred was not on comparative water costs in different parts of the UK but on how rising bills for a range of services would affect household finances across the UK. In that context, the ECU did not consider the reference to be significantly misleading. It therefore found there had been no breach of the 麻豆社鈥檚 standards of accuracy and that the question of impartiality arising from such a breach did not arise.
Not Upheld