Complaint
This programme included an interview with a spokesman for the Energy and Utilities Alliance which a listener complained was inappropriate and inaccurate because the 大象传媒 鈥渉ad failed to establish the suitability of the EUA as an independent voice on energy issues鈥. 聽The ECU considered whether the programme had met the 大象传媒鈥檚 editorial standards of accuracy and impartiality.
Outcome
The presenter, Winifred Robinson, began the item by explaining the Government was encouraging domestic consumers to replace existing gas boilers with heat pumps. 聽She said grants were available but the take up had been lower than the Government target, and that heat pumps can be expensive to install even with a grant and may not be suitable for every home. 聽She continued as follows:
I鈥檝e been speaking to a couple of people who can give us the benefit of their experience. Mike Foster speaks for the big boiler manufacturers, he鈥檚 from their trade group the Energy and Utilities Alliance, and Mark Jones has been working out what to do about a new boiler.
In the ECU鈥檚 view listeners would therefore have understood Mr Foster was speaking on behalf of 鈥渢he big boiler manufacturers鈥 and was not independent. The exchanges which followed, and a separate item a week later, included references to both the benefits and the drawbacks of heat pumps.聽 Overall, the item was consistent with the 大象传媒鈥檚 standards of accuracy and impartiality.
Not Upheld