I've Had Enough...

Broadcasting has invaded every area of our lives. It seems there's almost nothing we do as human beings that isn't analysed, speculated upon and generally picked over by the broadcasting industry. Just last night here in New Zealand I watched an edition of Sixty Minutes which seemed to cover everything from birth to death via sex, drugs and rock and roll.

But what happens when you feel the broadcasters go too far? How does an individual make their feelings known against the monoliths that are today's TV and Radio broadcasters? If you don't like the way they've handled a topic... or worse still, feel they've said something wrong about you personally... what do you do?

Complaining to Broadcasters

Many national broadcast organisations run a department especially to deal with complaints and comments. The BBC, for example, runs a "Viewers and Listeners Correspondence" section, which has the aim of answering a comment or a complaint within a working week. In theory, you can write (or e-mail them) and expect some sort of reply within a short time. You can contact them via the BBC's extensive web site (see links list).

Producers take very seriously the comments that the public make by phone to broadcasters. Certainly most state broadcasters in the English speaking world (well, the BBC, TVNZ, ABC and CBC do for sure!) make a written record of comments that are made. From my own experience working within the BBC, I know that the comments sheet that comes round from the Duty Officer each day, listing phoned-in complaints, is watched very carefully. And most of the comments, as far as I remember, are well thought out and reasoned. Inevitably, there are the ones that say "I think presenter X is a load of rubbish", and leave it at that... but there are many that say "I think presenter X would be better if he stopped waving his hands around/asked decent follow-up questions/stopped interrupting the guest/or whatever". So the first level of complaint is to the broadcaster themselves.

If you still don't feel that you're getting satisfaction, many countries have government-funded, independent watchdog bodies that keep an eye on the broadcasters. These bodies sometimes have the ability to fine broadcasters, and can force them to broadcast apologies or retractions at a peak time. They often require that broadcasters publish the address and contact details of the watchdogs regularly. Failing that, if in your initial complaint to the broadcaster you fail to get satisfaction, you should ask THEM to give you the phone number of the Broadcasting Standards Authority (or whatever it's

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