麻豆社

The 麻豆社 Trust has appointed Heather Hancock, former chair of the 麻豆社鈥檚 rural affairs committee, as author of an independent report on the impartiality of the 麻豆社鈥檚 coverage of rural areas in the UK.听

The review, announced by the Trust in March, will cover news, current affairs and factual programmes on 麻豆社 network, national, regional and local services.听 It is the latest in a rolling programme of impartiality reviews looking at different aspects of the 麻豆社鈥檚 output, in line with the Trust鈥檚 responsibility as set out in the Charter to 鈥榙o all it can鈥� to ensure the impartiality of the 麻豆社.

The review will include the independent report by Mrs Hancock, audience research and content analysis.听

Areas the review will examine include:

• How accurate the 麻豆社鈥檚 output is at reflecting the lives of rural communities;
• Whether the 麻豆社 has given due weight to the diverse aspects of an argument, without giving undue weight to institutional perspectives;听
• Whether coverage reflects a breadth and diversity of opinion across output and across time, and whether it reflects any variations of opinion between metropolitan and rural communities;
• When scientific theories are involved, whether they are well sourced, based on sound evidence, thoroughly tested and presented in clear and precise language.听

麻豆社 Trustee Alison Hastings said:

鈥淗eather Hancock brings a wealth of experience inside and outside the 麻豆社 and I am very pleased she will be leading this review.听 This is our first in-depth look at the 麻豆社鈥檚 rural coverage.听 We鈥檒l be examining whether audiences are getting impartial and accurate news about issues reflecting rural areas, which reflects a wide range of opinions.听 We鈥檒l also be looking for evidence that the 麻豆社 avoids over-reliance on the views of a handful of individual organisations or institutions.听 The 麻豆社 is still the news source most trusted by the public; our review is an important part of our work in ensuring that the 麻豆社 maintains that reputation.鈥�

Heather Hancock said:

鈥淚 am delighted to be reviewing the impartiality of the 麻豆社鈥檚 rural coverage.听 Issues such as the forthcoming badger cull pilots, and wind farms in rural areas, attract a diversity of opinion across rural and urban areas: it will be fascinating to examine the 麻豆社鈥檚 approach to providing duly impartial coverage of issues such as this which affect many people鈥檚 lives.鈥�

The review is expected to conclude in summer 2014.

Notes to Editors

1. The review of coverage of rural areas in the UK is the sixth impartiality review carried out by the Trust.听 Previous impartiality reviews have looked at the 麻豆社鈥檚 coverage of business (published 2007); network news and current affairs coverage of the UK nations (2008, with a follow-up review published in 2010); science (2011) and the events known as the 鈥楢rab Spring鈥� (2012).听 An impartiality review on the 麻豆社鈥檚 breadth of opinion, led by Stuart Prebble, is currently underway and will be published this summer.听 Information about previous impartiality reviews can be found here
2. Prior to the Trust鈥檚 inception, the 麻豆社 Governors reviewed the 麻豆社鈥檚 rural coverage in 2003.听 A summary of their findings was published in the 2003/4 麻豆社 Annual Report which can be found 听(PDF file).
3. Heather Hancock is Managing Partner for Talent and Brand for Deloitte in the UK, and Deloitte鈥檚 global managing director for brand and communications.听 Prior to joining Deloitte in 2003 she worked in the public sector, in roles including private secretary to three Home Secretaries, accounting officer for The Millennium Commission, chief executive of a special local authority, and executive director of a regional development agency.听 She sat on the 麻豆社鈥檚 rural affairs committee for ten years, chairing it for several of those, and she was a member of the expert panel for the 麻豆社 Governors鈥� review of 麻豆社 rural coverage in 2003.听 She was a Trustee of the Prince鈥檚 Trust for twelve years to 2012, chairing its audit committee for six years.听 Mrs Hancock is a former Chairman of The Football League鈥檚 committee on the future structure of football. In January 2013 she was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order for her services to the royal family and, in particular, her work as a trustee for the Prince鈥檚 Trust.
4. At her request, Mrs Hancock will not be paid for her work on the review although reasonable expenses will be paid.
5. The 麻豆社鈥檚 rural affairs committee is an independent advisory body comprised of members mostly from outside the 麻豆社.
6. On 9 May 2013 the 麻豆社 published research by Kantar Media and Ipsos MORI on public perceptions of the impartiality and trustworthiness of the 麻豆社.听 The research can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/howwework/reports/trust_and_impartiality.html