Complaint
A reader of this online article about the efforts of environmental groups to mount legal challenges to the Governmentβs infrastructure plans complained that it was worded in a way which favoured the Government.Β The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔβs standards of impartiality.
Outcome
The opening paragraph read βEnvironmentalists are using the law to hound the government to force infrastructure plans into line with its climate change commitmentsβ.Β The ECU accepted that the author of the article had not intended to express any view on the merits of the case, but only to convey graphically the point that environmentalists had adopted a determined and deliberate strategy to use the law to force change across a range of issues.Β However, the ECU considered that the choice of language in the opening paragraph (particularly the reference to hounding the Government), taken together with the headline, was open to the construction complained of, and created an impression inconsistent with the level of impartiality expected of a news report.
Upheld
Further action
The finding was reported to the Board of ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ News and discussed with the editorial staff concerned.Β The article was edited to reflect the finding.