@Society of Editors: Information Commissioner: Private broadcasters could come under FOI

Posted by Martin Stabe on 5 November 2007 at 18:05
Tags: BBC, Freedom of Information, ITV, Society of Editors, Society of Editors

The Information Commissioner has acknowledged that his budget for enforcing the Freedom of Information Act is “drop in the ocean”, and suggested that private broadcasting companies might be considered for inclusion in the list of bodies that must respond to FOI requests.

“I am really really struggling at the moment,” Thomas said. He described his office’s £4.7m annual budget to enforce the Freedom of information Act as “really a drop in the ocean”.

Marketing costs had been cut and the backlog of FOI cases is no longer growing as the office is now able to close cases as quickly as they come in, he said.

Discussing the Government’s recently-announced consultation on what private organsiations might be brought under the Freedom of Information Act, Thomas suggested that private broadcasters might be considered for addition to the list.

This would bring ITV and Sky into line with the BBC and Channel 4, which both have to respond to questions about subjects other than their “journalism, art or literature”.

“I would be really surprised if Network Rail weren’t brought under the Act,” Thomas said.

Tags: BBC, Freedom of Information, ITV, Society of Editors, Society of Editors