Complaint
A listener complained about a reference by a caller to people 鈥渂eing thrown out of helicopters鈥 by the British Government during the Troubles, arguing it was a unsubstantiated and defamatory allegation which should have been challenged by the presenter. The ECU considered the broadcast against the requirements for due accuracy set out in the 麻豆社 Editorial Guidelines.
Outcome
The ECU understood the caller was referring to the testimony of the 鈥淗ooded Men鈥 and the interrogation techniques used on them by the police and Army during internment without trial in the early 1970s. The 麻豆社 has covered this story on a number of occasions and the ECU noted the men鈥檚 account of having been thrown from helicopters a short distance off the ground, whilst being told that they were hundreds of feet in the air. The Supreme Court ruled that the techniques used on these men in 1971 would amount to torture by today鈥檚 standards. In the context of a phone-in, and in a fast-moving conversation that was substantively focussed on other (unrelated) issues, the ECU considered a claim of this type would not breach the 麻豆社鈥檚 Editorial Guidelines on due accuracy. Listeners would have understood the point that the caller was making about the (widely reported) experiences of the Hooded Men and other events during the Troubles period. It was also clear that he was expressing a personal opinion. In the ECU鈥檚 view an explicit challenge from the presenter on each of these specifics was not necessary and would not have been expected by listeners in general.
Not Upheld