Peter Tatchell, the gay rights activist, has protested to ARTICLE 19 that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has banned him and members of his organization, OutRage, from being interviewed live on BBC programmes. Tatchell wrote in a letter to ARTICLE 19 that the source of this information is a reporter from “Capital Gay” newspaper, Rob […]
Peter Tatchell, the gay rights activist, has protested to ARTICLE
19 that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has banned him
and members of his organization, OutRage, from being interviewed
live on BBC programmes. Tatchell wrote in a letter to ARTICLE 19
that the source of this information is a reporter from “Capital
Gay” newspaper, Rob Bevan, who was apparently told by the BBC
Press Office that the decision to impose this ban was taken by
the Editorial Policy Unit of the BBC.
Tatchell wrote that he believes that this ban infringes on the
right of journalists to choose their interviewees and interview
formats. ARTICLE 19 has written to inquire if the BBC has indeed
taken a policy decision concerning interview formats for members
and supporters of OutRage.
ARTICLE 19 takes no position on either the wisdom or the moral
and legal status of the tactics adopted by members of OutRage,
for the sake of the advancement of their cause. They are,
however, troubled by the possibility that the BBC, in banning
from live interviews a whole category of persons on the basis of
sympathy with OutRage and its methods, may be exercising an
unacceptable form of prior restraint.
Recommended Action
Please write to the BBC:
associated with OutRage; and expressing concern over the ban if
is in effect
political perspective or sympathy interferes with a person’s
right to freedom of expression and may extend to an unacceptable
form of prior restraint
Appeals To
John Birt
Director-General
BBC
Broadcasting House
London W1A 1AA
