Reporting The United Kingdom: Editorial Guidance.pdf

Reporting the United Kingdom

Overview:
This guidance note outlines BBC's commitment to representing and reporting all parts of the UK accurately, fairly, and sensitively, respecting regional differences and cultural sensitivities.

Key Points:

- Audience Diversity: Recognizes diverse backgrounds, experiences, and civic/political institutions across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

- Reporting Differences: Highlights specific variations between nations, including:
- Political institutions (Westminster vs. Scottish Parliament, etc.)
- Legal systems
- Education, crime, health, social services, transport, local government, environment
- Religious institutions
- Political parties
- School holidays
- Job titles

- Referrals: Content producers planning significant programming about Northern Ireland or involving the Republic of Ireland should consult Controller Northern Ireland. Similar referrals are encouraged for Scotland and Wales for national issues.

- Style and Language:

- Clearly explain differences in impact of stories on various parts of the UK.
- Use precise terminology: "United Kingdom" (UK) instead of "nation," and specify when using "National" to avoid confusion.
- Accurately represent political parties, assemblies, and their members.
- Avoid using geographic shorthand ("north, south...") that may be misleading based on location.
- Distinguish between "Anglo-" (common in agreements) and "British" (not interchangeable with "English").
- Be mindful of job title variations (e.g., "Depute" in Scotland).

- Interviewee Language: Respect interviewees' use of terms like "Ulster," but avoid using it as a synonym for Northern Ireland.

Additional Resources:

- Contact BBC Newsroom representatives for regional advice and pronunciation guidance.