大象传媒

The 大象传媒 Trust has selected Stuart Prebble, former CEO of ITV, to lead an independent review looking at how the 大象传媒 achieves an appropriate breadth of voice in its reporting of news and current affairs.听

The Trust has commissioned the review as a follow-up to a 2007 report by John Bridcut, From Seesaw to Wagon Wheel.听 It revealed that technological and social change had led to a spread of opinion which went beyond the traditional divide of left versus right, and it set out principles for the 大象传媒 to ensure it continued to achieve impartiality and provide the full breadth of views in its reporting.

The review of breadth of voice will look at implementation of the Bridcut recommendations, how the 大象传媒鈥檚 understanding of breadth of voice has developed, and how the 大象传媒 specifically achieves breadth of voice in its reporting of a number of current issues.

Alison Hastings, Chair of the Trust鈥檚 Editorial Standards Committee, said:

鈥淛ohn Bridcut鈥檚 2007 report set a new standard for achieving impartiality 鈥� likening it to a 鈥榳agon wheel鈥� of opinions rather than the traditional 鈥榮ee-saw鈥� of left versus right.听 Five years on, it鈥檚 the right time to check up on the 大象传媒鈥檚 progress.听 Stuart Prebble鈥檚 distinguished career in broadcasting, both as a programme-maker and as a CEO, puts him in an ideal position to take an informed view on how the 大象传媒 has responded to Bridcut鈥檚 challenge.鈥�

Stuart Prebble said:听

鈥淚 am delighted to have been invited to lead this important study for the 大象传媒.听 Having spent most of my career outside the 大象传媒 I look forward to bringing a fresh perspective to examine how well the commitment to breadth of voice - which is unique to the 大象传媒 - is being met.鈥�

The review will commence and terms of reference published in the autumn.听 Conclusions will be published in summer 2013, along with supporting research and content analysis.听 听

Notes to Editors

1. This is the fifth impartiality review carried out by the Trust.听 Previous impartiality reviews have looked at the 大象传媒鈥檚 coverage of business (published 2007); network news and current affairs coverage of the UK nations (2008); science (2011) and coverage of the events known as the 鈥楢rab Spring鈥� (2012).听
2. Stuart Prebble began his career as a 大象传媒 graduate journalist trainee and worked as an on- and off-screen journalist before moving to Granada, where he edited World in Action - for which he was nominated for a BAFTA - and later became Head of Factual Programming.听 He was appointed ITV鈥檚 first Controller of Factual Programming and went on to become Managing Director of Channels and New Media for Granada Media PLC, and CEO of ITV Digital.听 He was appointed CEO of ITV in 2001.听 He also co-founded independent production company Liberty Bell Productions and is now a Director of Storyvault Films.

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