Documentaries embroiled in Government-funding row
Posted
by
Paul McNally
on 3 August 2008
at 12:36
Tags: Journalism
The Sunday Telegraph says it has uncovered evidence of more than £2m in Government funding being given to television producers to make and broadcast documentaries that show its work in a positive light.
Ofcom has opened an investigation into one of the programmes named in the Sunday Telegraph investigation, over claims it breached the broadcasting code on advertiser-funded programming and editorial independence.
The investigation by Patrick Sawer and Jonathan Isaby has found at least eight television series in the past five years that were Government-funded without viewers being told.
They include a fly-on-the-wall show showcasing the work of police community support officers, which the Sunday Telegraph claims received £800,000 from the Home Office. Staff at the government department were allowed to see the edited programmes before broadcast and make changes to the narration, the paper claims.
Tags: Journalism
