Information Commissioner's Office

BBC

14 March 2007, Other

The complainant requested access to the transcripts, editorial or presenter interview notes and all other documents that were used in preparation for a BBC interview that was broadcast on 19 January 2006. The BBC refused to disclose the requested information on the basis that it was not a public authority in relation to the complainant’s request because the information was held for the purpose of journalism, art or literature within the derogation set out in Schedule 1 of the Act (“Schedule 1”). After a careful evaluation of the nature of the request, the submissions of the parties, and the relevant provisions of the Act, the Commissioner’s decision is that the BBC has correctly relied upon the Schedule 1 derogation. Therefore by virtue of section 7(1) of the Act, the requested information is excluded from Parts I to V of the Act. The Commissioner also finds that the BBC as a public authority did not breach section 10 of the Act.

FOI 1: Not upheld