Complaint
This edition included an item about the impact of the Northern Ireland Protocol on farmers.聽 A viewer complained that it was inaccurate for the programme to say 鈥淣orthern Ireland鈥檚 economy is performing better than any other part of the UK right now鈥.聽 and that by giving the impression that Northern Ireland benefited from EU membership it amounted to 鈥渟lanted propaganda in favour of the EU鈥.聽 The ECU considered whether the report met the 大象传媒鈥檚 editorial standards for accuracy and impartiality.
Outcome
The programme reported on the experiences of a dairy farmer who exports the vast majority of his milk to the Republic of Ireland and a livestock farmer whose primary market is Great Britain.聽 In summary, the dairy farmer said 鈥渢he Protocol鈥檚 working for me鈥 whereas the livestock farmer said 鈥淭he issues we have with the Protocol are quite a lot actually鈥.聽 This clearly met the requirement for due impartiality set out in the 大象传媒 Editorial Guidelines. The reporter then sought to put the contrasting points of view into context:
For farmers like Sam [the livestock farmer] issues over exports to Britain are threatening their businesses but it鈥檚 not all bad news for Northern Ireland鈥檚 farmers.聽 Overall, income from agriculture grew 8% in 2021 (Source: DAERA)聽 and like Charlie鈥檚 milk, nearly 90% (Source: NISRA) of the country鈥檚 food and live animal exports are sent to Ireland and the EU so most farmers are free to send their produce unimpeded.聽 Northern Ireland鈥檚 economy is performing better than any other part of the UK right now.
The ECU鈥檚 investigations suggest considerable thought went into the wording of a piece which was not in any event intended as a detailed guide to economic performance. The programme-makers took account of a range of economic indicators when referring to the performance of the Northern Irish economy. However after extensive research the ECU agreed it was not possible to be that definitive about the performance of the Northern Ireland economy from the available statistics.聽
It therefore upheld this aspect of the complaint on grounds of accuracy and also impartiality, as the specific statement as broadcast risked misleading viewers into believing the economic impact of the Protocol was agreed to be definitely positive for Northern Ireland as a whole at that time. The ECU did not however agree that the programme showed a general bias in favour of the EU. The reporter gave a clear and accurate summary of what the Protocol entailed and, with the exception of the assertion previously identified, how it affected Northern Ireland鈥檚 trade with Great Britain and the EU.聽
Partly Upheld