Today on Working Lunch Naga entirely incorrectly stated that an 0845 call
cost the same as a "local call".

I hope the BBC correct this - there is no such thing as a "local call" anymore and
0845 calls have their own separate tariff structure which for most people is
much more expensive than calls to 01/02/03 numbers.

I would send the producers an e-mail and copy in the presenter. BBC addresses are firstname.lastname@bbc.co.uk

The clip is found around 08:30/30:00 here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00n48h8/Working_Lunch_28_09_2009/

The BBC were probably simply repeating a briefing taken from information also published here - http://www.daycaretrust.org.uk/pages/about-us-contact-us-25.html.

One may argue at length over the BBC's editorial responsibility for repeating information provided to it. I would suggest focusing on the Daycare Trust.

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Sep 29^th, 2009 at 7:48pm:

One may argue at length over the BBC's editorial responsibility for repeating information provided to it. I would suggest focusing on the Daycare Trust.

And I would actually suggest that the primary responsibility to get the price description right here lies with the BBC who quote phone numbers on air day in and day out and who now have very strict editorial guidelines as to how they should be correctly described (not least after the 09 prize lines scam debacle).  The BBC won't normally air libellous, slanderous or racists or sexist comments just because they are given to them.  Their duty of care as broadcasters means they have a very clear duty not to let inaccurate or illegal material reach the airwaves.

I do however recall the BBC previously tried to blame their description of the Disasters Emergency Committee 0870 number as being "National Rate" on the script prepared for them by the DEC.  In my opinion the BBC's position on that matter was not justifiable.

I would actually imagine that trying to take it up with the Daycare Trust will be largely a waste of time as they will no doubt be fully signed up to all the lies given to them about the cost of their number by their telecoms provider.

As well as an email direct to the Director, Producer and presenter concerned a Complaint should also be logged about the matter at www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/homepage/  An email should also be sent to David Jordan (david.jordan@bbc.co.uk), the BBC's Controller of Editorial Policy (see www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/controllers/david_jordan.shtml) and to Michael Stock (michael.stock@bbc.co.uk) who controls internal BBC policy on its own use of phone numbers.

NGMsGhost wrote on Oct 12^th, 2009 at 5:59am:

I would actually imagine that trying to take it up with the Daycare Trust will be largely a waste of time as they will no doubt be fully signed up to all the lies given to them about the cost of their number by their telecoms provider.

When this was a current issue, I thought this point to be worthy of being tested.

The BBC's responsibilities in respect of editing material it receives in good faith is a very interesting and important issue. The same applies to every body that disseminates information, although the BBC is a special case, because it is a public body and is pre-eminent in the field. The point in question is however tiny when compared with many much more serious matters which the relevant BBC policy must cover. I would start with the Iraq war!

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