Complaint
A viewer complained it was inaccurate and misleading for the programme to state 鈥渋t鈥檚 true Britain is one of the richest countries in the world鈥. The ECU assessed this against the 大象传媒 Guidelines on Accuracy.聽
Outcome
This edition of Panorama examined the state of the UK economy and how the cost of living crisis was influencing people鈥檚 standards of living. In that context the reporter explained that the Government rejected talk of failure or decline adding that 鈥渋t鈥檚 true Britain is one of the richest countries in the world. But if that鈥檚 the case why do so many people feel so poor?鈥
The reporter didn鈥檛 specify which measurement he had in mind when referring to Britain as 鈥渙ne of the richest countries in the world鈥 but in the ECU鈥檚 view it was reasonable to assume viewers would have judged what he said in the context of the subject matter of the programme. It was clear the question he was asking was 鈥渨hy do so many people feel so poor?鈥 if the UK economy is traditionally regarded as one of the strongest in the world.
The vast majority of recognised bodies who assess the state and nature of economies around the world agree the UK is comparatively rich when assessed on a wide range of economic indicators. The ECU did not therefore believe viewers were likely聽 to have been misled by the reporter鈥檚 remarks.
Not Upheld