British Broadcasting Corporation

Following a news report on the 5th January 2000 by the British Broadcasting Corporatation about Irish Poteen, the brand owners of Knockeen Hills Irish Poteen felt the need to lodge a formal complaint to the BBC.

Counsel for the complainant was Mr Chris Hutchings formerly of Messrs. Charles Russell, 8-10 New Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1RS.

The BBC's Complaints Unit upheld the formal complaint against the BBC and ruled that there had been a 'serious breach of broadcasting standards' and a correction should be broadcast.

The BBC's agreed settlement, included the payment in full of all legal costs incurred by the complainant. A further term of the settlement was that the apology broadcast by the BBC on television and radio was to be made at approximately the same time of day as the original transmission, and not as is usual, merely at the end of the programmes. A request was lodged with Sir Christopher Bland, Chairman of the BBC for the repayment of the applicant's postage costs which were under £100.00. Sir Christopher Bland replied personally, declining the request, advising there was no budget for this expenditure. BBC licence fee income for 2000/2001 which was 75% of its net income was £2,371 million, with other reveune raising an additional £790 million.

The original publication of the BBC Board of Governors Programme Complaints Bulletin for January to March 2000 issued in May 2000 has now been withdrawn from the BBC's web-site. A full copy is available by clicking here, whilst the following summary of complaints upheld is an extract that appears on page 9 of the document.