BBCcom_Content_Index_for_July_2025.txt
Section_17_Competitions_Votes_and_Interactivity_-_Guidelines.txt
Competitions and slot pagaVotes 17.4.1 All BBC competitions and votes must be honest, open and fair, meeting the editorial, ethical and technical standards that BBC audiences expect. Stop: 17.4.2 Mandatory Referral: BBC competitions and votes must be approved by a senior editorial figure. if ("interactive" === "interactive") { const container = document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral010519144757"); window.addEventListener('scroll', () =>{ const buffer = 240; const rect = container.getBoundingClientRect(); const windowHeight = window.innerHeight; // Defines if an element is not above or below the viewport and is within a buffer range above and below the middle of the viewport const isVisible = (rect.top >= 0) && (rect.bottom = windowHeight / 2 - buffer) && (rect.top + rect.height / 2 { container.classList.add('interactive-highlight-red'); if ("red" === "custom") document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral010519144757").style.boxShadow = "inset 0 0 0 3px " }); } Competitions and votes must meet the following criteria: technical systems must be robust competitions and votes entail complex requirements, which must be appropriately resourced contingency planning for both editorial and technical matters is essential appropriate measures must be taken to protect the integrity of a vote and the result rules for competitions and votes must be published the results must be reported with due accuracy to the audience it must be made clear to the audience when votes open and close and when the closing deadline is set for competition entries there must be sufficient time allowed between closing the competition or vote and announcing the result to ensure that it can be verified competitions and votes must be set up and run according to the relevant guidance on UK Public Services and the World Service competitions and votes must be editorially justified. For additional considerations for competitions and votes for children see guidance. (See guidance: Audience Interactivity) Competitions 17.4.3 All qualifying entries must have a fair chance of winning and the selection process must be designed to achieve this. The BBC should offer a genuine test of skill, knowledge or judgement appropriate to the audience: questions and answers must require an appropriate level of skill from the likely audience and be suitable in tone and subject matter. They must be duly accurate competitions using premium rate services must not be lotteries, which are defined in law. Legal advice must be taken the BBC may run prize draws for charity but all such proposals must be referred well in advance to ITACU and Editorial Policy (See Prizes & Prize Draws below) judging panels for viewer, listener, online and reader competitions must have clear criteria for selecting winners, which will be made available to audiences. Editorial Policy may be consulted UK Public Services and the World Service must not directly promote any competition which is not organised by or run in conjunction with them the BBC must retain editorial independence, and UK Public Service and World Service competitions must not unduly promote any service, product or publication costs to enter should be appropriately signposted people must not be required to buy anything to enter a UK Public Service or World Service competition unless it is linked to a cross-BBC charity fundraising initiative. (See 17.4.14-17.4.20) (See Section 16 External Relationships, Including Commercial Relationships, and Financing: 16.4.29) Votes 17.4.4 Consideration must be given at the outset to whether a public vote is the most editorially appropriate method of deciding a result. Votes can be used to provide entertainment, to raise money for cross-BBC charity fundraising initiatives or to help the audience register an opinion on topics ranging from light subjects to matters of public policy or politics. Consider carefully that in some cases the outcome of the vote may represent a life-changing opportunity for the winner or winning organisation, could be of interest to lobby groups, or could represent a potential commercial advantage. audiences must not be misled about the purpose of a vote running totals should not normally be announced before broadcasting the final verified outcome, as this could have the potential to affect it the BBC must be fair to anyone who is judged by an audience vote and must also fairly and accurately reflect the opinions of the voting audience voting/polling tools provided by social media platforms or other online services do not provide statistical or representative results. They should only be used to entertain or engage with audiences. Stop: Mandatory Referral: Any proposal to commission any sort of vote on matters of public policy, political or industrial controversy or any 'controversial subjects' in any other area must be referred to Chief Adviser Politics. if ("interactive" === "interactive") { const container = document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral010519145015"); window.addEventListener('scroll', () =>{ const buffer = 240; const rect = container.getBoundingClientRect(); const windowHeight = window.innerHeight; // Defines if an element is not above or below the viewport and is within a buffer range above and below the middle of the viewport const isVisible = (rect.top >= 0) && (rect.bottom = windowHeight / 2 - buffer) && (rect.top + rect.height / 2 { container.classList.add('interactive-highlight-red'); if ("red" === "custom") document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral010519145015").style.boxShadow = "inset 0 0 0 3px " }); } (See Section 2 Impartiality: 2.4.31-2.4.32 and Section 10 Politics and Public Policy: 10.4.16-10.4.20) (See guidance: Opinion Polls, Surveys, Questionnaires, Votes and Straw Polls) Jointly Run Competitions and Votes 17.4.5 UK Public Service and World Service competitions and votes may be run jointly with an appropriate third party such as an academic or artistic institution and/or suitable commercial partner. (See Section 16 External Relationships, Including Commercial Relationships, and Financing: 16.4.1-16.4.10) Stop: Mandatory Referral: Any proposal to run a competition or vote jointly with a third party must be referred to Editorial Policy and the Interactivity Technical Advice and Contracts Unit (ITACU) well in advance who will consider whether: the organisation the BBC is to work with is appropriate the competition or vote is robust and agreed contingencies are appropriate there is sufficient transparency of all key aspects if the vote or competition is being run editorially or technically by the third party the BBC will retain editorial control of its output. if ("interactive" === "interactive") { const container = document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral010519152437"); window.addEventListener('scroll', () =>{ const buffer = 240; const rect = container.getBoundingClientRect(); const windowHeight = window.innerHeight; // Defines if an element is not above or below the viewport and is within a buffer range above and below the middle of the viewport const isVisible = (rect.top >= 0) && (rect.bottom = windowHeight / 2 - buffer) && (rect.top + rect.height / 2 { container.classList.add('interactive-highlight-red'); if ("red" === "custom") document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral010519152437").style.boxShadow = "inset 0 0 0 3px " }); } Stop: 17.4.6 Mandatory Referral: Any proposal to mount a UK Public Service or World Service competition or vote with a commercial organisation must be referred to the relevant Head of Department, Editorial Policy and ITACU well in advance. The BBC should normally pay a substantial part of the costs, and money from the outside organisation should not normally flow into any production budget without first seeking advice from Editorial Policy and Regulatory Legal. if ("interactive" === "interactive") { const container = document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutbox090525095006"); window.addEventListener('scroll', () =>{ const buffer = 240; const rect = container.getBoundingClientRect(); const windowHeight = window.innerHeight; // Defines if an element is not above or below the viewport and is within a buffer range above and below the middle of the viewport const isVisible = (rect.top >= 0) && (rect.bottom = windowHeight / 2 - buffer) && (rect.top + rect.height / 2 { container.classList.add('interactive-highlight-red'); if ("red" === "custom") document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutbox090525095006").style.boxShadow = "inset 0 0 0 3px " }); } 17.4.7 The BBC must retain editorial control and have technical oversight and approval of an overall competition. When running a vote, the BBC must be satisfied with the systems and procedures in place and should usually be in direct control. Stop: Mandatory Referral: Any exceptions to the BBC being in direct control of systems and procedures must be referred in advance to Editorial Policy and ITACU before any deal is entered into. They will advise whether the proposal is robust and meets BBC standards and/or on any additional measures that will need to be put in place. if ("interactive" === "interactive") { const container = document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral010519152659"); window.addEventListener('scroll', () =>{ const buffer = 240; const rect = container.getBoundingClientRect(); const windowHeight = window.innerHeight; // Defines if an element is not above or below the viewport and is within a buffer range above and below the middle of the viewport const isVisible = (rect.top >= 0) && (rect.bottom = windowHeight / 2 - buffer) && (rect.top + rect.height / 2 { container.classList.add('interactive-highlight-red'); if ("red" === "custom") document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral010519152659").style.boxShadow = "inset 0 0 0 3px " }); }
