Complaint
The ECU considered two items on this programme; the first a discussion about the British equestrian Charlotte Dujardin, who had withdrawn from the Olympics after a video emerged of her whipping a horse, and the second an interview on the political situation in Venezuela ahead of elections there. 聽A listener complained both pieces lacked balance, the first for ignoring the animal cruelty, the second for inadequately representing the views of the Venezuelan Government.
Outcome
In the first story the interviewee was Tina Cook, a former British equestrian and commentator. 聽Although other aspects of the story, such as the timing of the video, were raised, the ECU did not agree it was at the expense of references to animal welfare. 聽In the second, the interview was with an opposition politician from Venezuela and conducted against the backdrop of credible evidence of political repression in that country. 聽The piece included remarks made by the current President, but given the 麻豆社鈥檚 commitment to the importance of upholding basic democratic values, the focus and nature of the interview did not amount, in the ECU鈥檚 view, to a breach of 麻豆社 standards.
Not Upheld