Introduction
The Editorial Guidelines state that:
To be fair and transparent in partnerships and other relationships, the nature of the relationship must be appropriately signposted to the audience and the partner given due recognition and attribution.
(See Editorial Guidelines Section 16: External Relationships including Commercial Relationships and Financing 16.2.4)
Detail on crediting and labelling is held in other Guidance notes – this points to them in appropriate places.
Production Credits
These are to recognise editorial or creative input. They may be for BBC staff and other staff or they may involve co-productions or independent productions.
In Content Television, BBC Commissioning has guidance on credits and branding which includes advice on on-screen credits for third parties and details of what categories can be used in opening and closing credits.
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Radio Commissioning Guidance for Written and On Air Credits for UK Public Service Radio and BBC Sounds.
Online, credits should not routinely sit on the thumbnail image. They may sit on a separate credit page accessed via a "credits" link on the site's home page, although not in the main navigation of the site.
Editorial Partnerships
To be fair and transparent the following labels to describe editorial partnerships are likely to be appropriate:
"This is a collaboration between the BBC and XXX" or, if it is a formal partnership, "This is a partnership between the BBC and XXX". (There could be legal issues about use of the latter.)
Ex-UK it is advised not to use the phrase "in association with". It may cause confusion with commercial sponsorship since this is one of the permitted phrases used by BBC Commercial Services to refer to sponsorship arrangements. UK Public Services must not broadcast sponsored editorial content or carry advertising [1] (although the BBC has specific permission to accept sponsorship for BBC events) [2].
(See Editorial Guidelines Section 16: External Relationships including Commercial Relationships and Financing: 16.2.5)
To be fair and transparent but to avoid undue product prominence, for short form content one verbal announcement or label acknowledging the editorial partnership is normally appropriate. For long form content two or more acknowledgements may be appropriate, depending on the length of the piece.
(See Editorial Guidelines Section 15: Independence from Commercial and Other External Interests: 15.2.3 and 15.4.1 – 15.4.2)
Online a label at the top of the appropriate page may be acceptable. Any proposed use of a logo may be discussed with Editorial Policy.
Partners will often wish to refer to the partnership in their social media. This should be discussed at the outset of the project and agreed between the partner and the BBC.
Co-Productions
The Guidelines say:
A co-producer may have involvement with the editorial content. In some cases it may also be a partner.
(See Editorial Guidelines Section 16: External Relationships including Commercial Relationships and Financing 16.4.17)
Any reference in editorial content to a co-producer should be editorially justified.
Sponsorship for Public Service Events
See the guidance for Public Service Off-Air events for details.
Sponsorship for BBC Commercial Services
All sponsorship arrangements must be clearly identified by means of a sponsorship credit.Sponsorship credits must meet the Advertising and Sponsorship Guidelines for BBC Commercial Services.
Please note that the sponsorship credit should normally use the term "sponsored by" or "in association with", unless this is not established practice in the particular market. There is a mandatory referral to a senior editorial figure for the use of any other term.
(See: Advertising and Sponsorship Guidelines for BBC Commercial Services 4.20 – 4.29)
External Funding for BBC World Service and BBC Media Action
External funding arrangements must be made clear with an informational and non-promotional acknowledgement. This must not suggest that the programme has been made by the external funder. To avoid promotion of the funder, no external funder logos may be used. The acknowledgement must meet the Editorial Guidelines.
(See Editorial Guidelines Section 16 External Relationships and Financing: 16.4.58)
Digital Platforms: Other References to External Relationships
Editorial references to third party companies on digital platforms should not normally contain any use of their logo. Any exceptional use must be editorially justified.
A logo is not generally acceptable as a form of credit. On Public Services exceptions include a single use in credits for a co-production.
(See above: Co-Productions)
Suppliers
UK Public Services and the World Service should never promise to feature a supplier's details online in return for the supply of free or reduced cost products or services.
(See Editorial Guidelines Section 15 Independence from Commercial and Other External Interests 15.4.14 and 15.4.22)
- "The BBC must not, without the prior approval of the appropriate Minister, include any sponsored material in any of its services." Broadcasting: An Agreement Between Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the British Broadcasting Corporation 2016 Clause 50 (2) ↩
- Statement of Policy on Use of Alternative Finance in BBC Content (Clause 49 (4) of the BBC Framework Agreement 2016) ↩