Update on Nov 15, 2011 by
Bishop Hill
Bishop Hill
The BBC Trust report itself is here.
The BBC has been caught taking illicit sponsorship for current affairs programmes from, among others, green campaigning groups.
One of the programmes in breach of guidelines was “Taking the Credit” made by for BBC World on the subject of Africa and climate change by the award-winning British production company Rockhopper television. The Trust found that the programme had effectively been sponsored by the Envirotrade organisation, despite the fact that current affairs programmes are prohibited from using sponsorship. Envirotrade was featured in a positive light in the programme but “viewers were unaware that there was a funding arrangement in place,” said the Trust report.
(Via Guido)
Bishop Hill
The BBC Trust report itself is here.
Bishop Hill
Here's an excerpt from one of the programmes involved, entitled Earth Reporters, Sea Change.
If anyone wants the full programme you can see it at UNESCO, who presumably funded it.