[CMA] BBC to pay for viewers' pictures

[Michelle McGuire]

BBC to pay for viewers' pictures
Tara Conlan
Thursday November 16, 2006


The BBC is to pay viewers who send in user-generated content, but  
only for material that is "particularly editorially important or  
unique", MediaGuardian.co.uk can reveal.

New guidelines tell BBC staff they can make payments to members of  
the public who send in footage from mobile phones or cameras, but  
"audiences should not be encouraged to think that payment is the norm".

The BBC is following in the footsteps of other broadcasters which  
have asked viewers to send in their own content.
Channel Five recently announced it would pay viewers £100 for  
contributions it used on air.

But the BBC is determined not to encourage viewers to think they will  
automatically be paid.

The new editorial policy guidelines state: "Material is submitted to  
the BBC under published terms and conditions. These give us a free,  
non-exclusive licence to publish on any platform, and the person who  
took the footage/pictures retains copyright.

"However, on very rare occasions where material is particularly  
editorially important or unique and depicts something of great  
significance, we may consider making an appropriate payment.

"In newsgathering, journalists should consult their senior editor,  
before entering any negotiations on payments; in English regions  
referral should be made to [heads of regional and local programmes]  
and through heads of news and current affairs in the nations.

"Audiences should not be encouraged to think that payment is the  
norm, or in any way encouraged to take risks, put themselves in  
danger or break any laws in order to secure what they perceive to be  
material of high monetary value."

The guidelines go on to explain how the system would work: "In return  
for payment we may negotiate an assignment of copyright or exclusive  
rights - but bear in mind that material other than photographs may be  
copied and used by other news organisations under 'fair dealing'.

"Bear in mind also that under the standard terms the person sending  
in material generally retains the copyright, so they are free to give  
or sell their material to others. They may go on to agree an  
exclusive deal with another outlet, which would in effect terminate  
their licence to the BBC, and we would not be able to reuse the  
image, video or audio. We would not have to delete the archive though."

The BBC received 20,000 emails following the July 7 bombings last  
year and 5,000 emails during the first few hours following the  
Buncefield oil depot fire last December.

User-generated content is a pressing issue for all broadcasters,  
particularly the BBC.

The BBC's college of journalism also held a session last week titled  
Have They Got News for Us at White City on the issue.
Staff from other areas of the corporation, including the World  
Service and nations and regions, will also have a chance to attend  
the workshop.

The BBC's new guidelines - which come under the heading "Video, audio  
and stills contributions from members of the public in BBC news  
output" - also remind staff to apply the corporation's standards of  
accuracy to footage from members of the public.

"Our starting point is that we should aim to apply the same approach  
to pictures, audio and video supplied by members of the public, as we  
do to any other material we handle as journalists.

"We should not automatically assume that the material is accurate and  
should take reasonable steps where necessary to seek verification. As  
digital manipulation tools become more accessible, we also need to be  
on our guard against photo manipulation and hoaxing."


Source: MediaGuardian - http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/ 
0,,1948622,00.html

-

Michelle McGuire
Editor, Airflash Magazine
Communications Officer
http://www.commedia.org.uk

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