This petition was submitted during the 2020-2024 Conservative government
Rejected petition Require Ofcom to withdraw “Broadcast standards during the coronavirus pandemic"
Require that Ofcom removes “Broadcast standards during the coronavirus pandemic" with immediate effect.
DCMS must ensure there are clear guidelines to Ofcom, that it is unacceptable for any broadcast standards, to contain restrictions on criticising the government.
More details
Guidelines from May 2020 restrict “statements that seek to question or undermine the advice of public health bodies on the Coronavirus, or otherwise undermine people’s trust in the advice of mainstream sources of information about the disease”. This restricts experts & whistleblowers from criticizing government policy, even if it is harmful.
These guidelines have made it difficult for victims of vaccine injuries to make their stories heard & they deserve a voice.
This petition was rejected
Why was this petition rejected?
It’s about something that the UK Government or Parliament is not directly responsible for.
We can only accept petitions about things the Government or Parliament are directly responsible for.
Decisions about issuing guidance in relation to how broadcasters meet the Broadcasting Code are a matter for Ofcom, which is operationally independent of the UK Government and Parliament.
In any case, the guidance Ofcom produced for broadcasters during the pandemic provided advice to broadcasters, it did not introduce new restrictions on broadcast content.
The section of the guidance you cite in part says:
"[W]e strongly advise you to take particular care when broadcasting, for example [...] statements that seek to question or undermine the advice of public health bodies on the Coronavirus, or otherwise undermine people’s trust in the advice of mainstream sources of information about the disease".
The full note produced by Ofcom is available here: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0033/195873/Note-to-broadcasters-Coronavirus-update.pdf
We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.