Broadcasting Authority guidelines

In his letter entitled Personal Data On The News (November 23), Godfrey Muscat enquires whether it is ethical for a local television station to air a programme on current news issues in which a person's criminal record, together with that person's personal data, were shown to all and sundry. Mr Muscat also requested a clarification on the matter from the Broadcasting Authority.

Readers should know that the Broadcasting Authority is currently conducting a process of consultation on a proposal that it should now legally enforce various guidelines on news bulletins and current affairs programmes that have been available to broadcasters for a number of years for the purpose of self-regulation. A number of these guidelines, in fact, refer to rights of respect and privacy. These, interalia, provide as follows:

• Everyone is entitled to respect for his or her private and family life. People in the news and persons holding office in public life are entitled to protection of their privacy except in those cases where their private life may have an effect on their public life.

• There are occasions when the individual's right to respect for private and family life must be balanced against the public interest.

• The location of a person's home or family should not normally be revealed unless strictly relevant to the behaviour under investigation.

The current process of consultation ends today.