uneasydaz
Well-Known Member
THE BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit will next month deliver its 13th finding of the year on Rangers-related grievances.
It comes after Gers fan group Club 1872’s complaint about Beeb pundit Tom English was upheld by the committee that rules on contentious issues.
And SunSport can reveal the other concerns – raised about the organisation’s Light Blues coverage – rejected at the second stage of the process in 2019.
Four complaints about Sportscene have been thrown out, with three from Sportsound knocked back too.
The Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) also decided not to uphold grievances linked to Reporting Scotland (two), the BBC Scotland channel’s flagship show The Nine (two) and Shereen Nanjiani’s weekly Radio Scotland show (one).
In March, Rangers hit out after Scottish Women’s Aid chair Nicola Gilchrist referenced the club during a discussion about domestic abuse on The Nine.
A complaint about Ms Gilchrist’s comment was not upheld.
On Friday it emerged English – the Beeb’s chief sports writer north of the border – had breached editorial guidelines with remarks on social media about the Rugby Park mayhem in August.
Controversy erupted following his reply to Club 1872‘s blast at Kilmarnock over fan safety issues outside the stadium.
The fan group revealed it had eyewitness reports of crushing as supporters tried to enter the Chadwick Stand.
Referencing their statement in a tweet, English wrote: “‘Trapped outside Rugby Park’…trapped outside?? This is execrable stuff.”
But the post broke Beeb rules and the broadcaster said: “The ECU upheld one part of a larger complaint from Club 1872, concerning the language used in a tweet
BBC Scotland had already upheld that aspect of the complaint in its response to complainants and we note the ECU decision.”
Gers shareholders Club 1872 issued a short message to fans after learning of the decision.
They wrote: “Club 1872 has received confirmation that a complaint regarding @TEnglishSport comments on our statement about the crushing at the Kilmarnock game has been upheld by the BBC Executive Complaints Unit.
“We’ve been told further information on any action taken by the BBC will be communicated to us shortly.
“We have not received any public or private apology from @TEnglishSport despite the BBC acknowledging his comments ‘went beyond a reasonable expression of professional judgement’.
“We will shortly be updating our members on this and other ongoing correspondence and complaints regarding BBC Scotland and their coverage of Rangers and Rangers supporters.”
The BBC Complaints Framework outlines the stages of the process – and when regulator Ofcom gets involved.
It says: “We will do everything we reasonably can to respond to editorial complaints within the BBC and expect the large majority of them to be resolved satisfactorily at stages 1a [initial response] or 1b [response from BBC manager or editorial team member].
“However, if, having gone through stages 1a and 1b, you are dissatisfied with the BBC’s final response at Stage 2, we will tell you how to contact Ofcom, which can investigate editorial complaints in the areas covered by the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.
“If Ofcom finds that the BBC has failed to comply with the Code in its UK public broadcasting and on demand programme services, they may direct the BBC to take steps to remedy the failure or prevent a recurrence.
“It is also open to Ofcom to impose a financial sanction on the BBC for serious or repeated breaches of the Code, up to and including a fine of £250,000.
“First-party complaints of unfair treatment and unwarranted infringement of privacy can be put to Ofcom in the first instance, but otherwise Ofcom will not normally consider complaints unless they have been considered by the BBC first.”
ECU documents reveal no other grievances about Scottish football-related issues have reached stage two of the process this year.
The BBC and Rangers remain embroiled in a long-term dispute relating to senior journalist Chris McLaughlin’s Ibrox ban.
In March, some of the club’s fans gathered at the Beeb’s Pacific Quay HQ in Glasgow to protest against their coverage of the Scottish Premiership side.
Four months later, BBC Scotland admitted to a gaffe in a radio segment about ex-Celtic striker Mo Johnston’s controversial Gers move.
Last week Rangers slammed the broadcaster for “sensationalist, unfair and disgraceful” accusations of a cover-up relating to paedo ex-coach Gordon Neely.
It comes after Gers fan group Club 1872’s complaint about Beeb pundit Tom English was upheld by the committee that rules on contentious issues.
And SunSport can reveal the other concerns – raised about the organisation’s Light Blues coverage – rejected at the second stage of the process in 2019.
Four complaints about Sportscene have been thrown out, with three from Sportsound knocked back too.
The Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) also decided not to uphold grievances linked to Reporting Scotland (two), the BBC Scotland channel’s flagship show The Nine (two) and Shereen Nanjiani’s weekly Radio Scotland show (one).
In March, Rangers hit out after Scottish Women’s Aid chair Nicola Gilchrist referenced the club during a discussion about domestic abuse on The Nine.
A complaint about Ms Gilchrist’s comment was not upheld.
On Friday it emerged English – the Beeb’s chief sports writer north of the border – had breached editorial guidelines with remarks on social media about the Rugby Park mayhem in August.
Controversy erupted following his reply to Club 1872‘s blast at Kilmarnock over fan safety issues outside the stadium.
The fan group revealed it had eyewitness reports of crushing as supporters tried to enter the Chadwick Stand.
Referencing their statement in a tweet, English wrote: “‘Trapped outside Rugby Park’…trapped outside?? This is execrable stuff.”
But the post broke Beeb rules and the broadcaster said: “The ECU upheld one part of a larger complaint from Club 1872, concerning the language used in a tweet
BBC Scotland had already upheld that aspect of the complaint in its response to complainants and we note the ECU decision.”
Gers shareholders Club 1872 issued a short message to fans after learning of the decision.
They wrote: “Club 1872 has received confirmation that a complaint regarding @TEnglishSport comments on our statement about the crushing at the Kilmarnock game has been upheld by the BBC Executive Complaints Unit.
“We’ve been told further information on any action taken by the BBC will be communicated to us shortly.
“We have not received any public or private apology from @TEnglishSport despite the BBC acknowledging his comments ‘went beyond a reasonable expression of professional judgement’.
“We will shortly be updating our members on this and other ongoing correspondence and complaints regarding BBC Scotland and their coverage of Rangers and Rangers supporters.”
The BBC Complaints Framework outlines the stages of the process – and when regulator Ofcom gets involved.
It says: “We will do everything we reasonably can to respond to editorial complaints within the BBC and expect the large majority of them to be resolved satisfactorily at stages 1a [initial response] or 1b [response from BBC manager or editorial team member].
“However, if, having gone through stages 1a and 1b, you are dissatisfied with the BBC’s final response at Stage 2, we will tell you how to contact Ofcom, which can investigate editorial complaints in the areas covered by the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.
“If Ofcom finds that the BBC has failed to comply with the Code in its UK public broadcasting and on demand programme services, they may direct the BBC to take steps to remedy the failure or prevent a recurrence.
“It is also open to Ofcom to impose a financial sanction on the BBC for serious or repeated breaches of the Code, up to and including a fine of £250,000.
“First-party complaints of unfair treatment and unwarranted infringement of privacy can be put to Ofcom in the first instance, but otherwise Ofcom will not normally consider complaints unless they have been considered by the BBC first.”
ECU documents reveal no other grievances about Scottish football-related issues have reached stage two of the process this year.
The BBC and Rangers remain embroiled in a long-term dispute relating to senior journalist Chris McLaughlin’s Ibrox ban.
In March, some of the club’s fans gathered at the Beeb’s Pacific Quay HQ in Glasgow to protest against their coverage of the Scottish Premiership side.
Four months later, BBC Scotland admitted to a gaffe in a radio segment about ex-Celtic striker Mo Johnston’s controversial Gers move.
Last week Rangers slammed the broadcaster for “sensationalist, unfair and disgraceful” accusations of a cover-up relating to paedo ex-coach Gordon Neely.