Full disclosure is used in news reports across the industry for
journalists to admit they have a personal or commercial link to the subject of
their story.
For instance, when reporting on the News of the World phone
hacking scandal, The Times would reference News International, publisher of the
News of The World and parent company of The Times.
Similarly, the Guardians
media commentator and blogger Roy Greenslade will usually reference his former
editorship of the Daily Mirror when writing about that newspapers parent
company, Trinity Mirror.
Mr Nuttall said: Full disclosure is designed to
alert readers, listeners and viewers that while a report has been prepared
impartially, the consumer may have cause to consider the wider implications of
the involvement of the journalist or the organisation he or she works
for.
Its not a perfect system but at least all the facts are laid bare for
the audience, allowing them to make up their own minds.
And that is why
today I am calling for the BBC to also adopt full disclosure for each and every
single one of its news reports that relate, in any way, to the European Union
and the forthcoming referendum on Britains membership of it.
He added: It
may surprise members of the public to learn that the BBCs pro-EU agenda may be
linked to the fact that it has received millions of pounds of European
funding.
So the question surely is why the BBC chooses not to disclose this
fact when delivering supposedly impartial reports relating to the EU or indeed
the upcoming referendum.
Most organisations that receive European money
carry the EU logo, but the BBC does not. With the in/out referendum now set to
take place within this parliament, which has to change.
The notice The BBC
receives EU funding should now be carried in all BBC news reports referencing
the EU or the referendum.
This will ensure the BBCs millions of viewers,
listeners and readers remain completely aware of the corporations financial
connection to the European Union.
It has also emerged that the CBI which
has said it will campaign for an in vote in the referendum has received at
least £800,000 in EU funding over the last five years.