Following the Tonight programme with Trevor McDonald I complained to the Independent Television Commission about the bias of the programme. I have received this repy

10 December 2002

Dear Mr. (******)

Tonight with Trevor McDonald, 15 November 2002, 20:00hrs

Thankyou for you e-mail of 21 November 2002

First, I should explain the responsibility for the production of programmes on commercial television lies with the individual broadcasters. However, they must comply with the requirements of the Programme Code, which sets out standards for such matters as taste and decency, privacy and impartiality.

Having carefully viewed this edition of Tonight with Trevor McDonald , I can certainly understand why some may feel that the programme was weighted against the diet plan proposed by Doctor Atkins. The reporter, Johnathan Maitland, raised a number of health concerns about this particular dietary regime. He backed up these issues by interviewing a nutritionist, and other medical professionals, who were broadly in agreement.

The ITC Programme Code requires broadcasters to show "due impartiality" in covering issues of political or industrial controversy, or thos relating to current public policy. However, there is no requirement for such strict impartiality over matters where differences of opinion may exist. Nevertheless, basic fairness is obviously a requirement in dealing with all subject matter.

In this case, I note that the negative opinions expressed by Johnathan Maitland and others were put directly to Doctor Atkins in a sit down interview, which was included in the programme. This gave the doctor an opportunity to defend the Atkins Plan robustly. There were also short interviews with three dedicated suppporters of the diet.

Finally it was made clear - through tests - that the dietary regime did work in terms of weight loss.

Thankyou for taking the trouble to contact us. I realise you may still feel this programme was biased to some extent, but I hope I have been able to explain why it was not actually in breach of the Programme Code.

Yours sincerely

John Glover
Programme Manager


I never expected the compalint to be up held but wanted to make the point to ITV who would have received a copy of the original complaint.

I am sorry I cannot reproduce my email as it was done directly on line.

I did not have enough evidence to hand to demonstrate that the fat/Carbohydrate issue is more than just a "difference of opinion" but truly is an "industrial controversy". It is the big sugar corporations that fund the fat lobby!

Hi rustpot,

Well it appears that you and I got exactly the same letter !!!
I also complained via the same route as you.

I also asked whether is was the Sugar/diet industry who sponsored the program but I didn't get an answer to that question !!!

Ali

Thanks for sharing this Rustpot. I am sure the sugar industry was involved somewhere along the lines.

I understand that there is to be a BBC programme on various diet plans, probably in the new year, that includes Atkins. It will be interesting to see how this is slanted.