News and Current Affairs presenters are to be prevented from expressing their own views on matters of public controversy under new rules drawn up by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI).

The new Code of Fairness, Objectivity, and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs will prohibit presenters from advocating a partisan position.

A number of broadcasters objected to this rule, claiming it restricted free speech.

The Code will also oblige broadcasters to provide clear justification before engaging in secret filming or door-stepping of interviewees.

Chief Executive of the BAI Michael O'Keeffe says "Critically, the code is designed to promote audience trust in the broadcast media. In the context of a huge growth in the diversity of sources in which the public can obtain news and current affairs, this code offers a framework in which Irish broadcast media can maintain a unique position of offering news and current affairs which is fair, objective and impartial."

Social media policies

Radio and television stations must also have appropriate policies in relation to social media. It says this new rule has been added to the final code to "require broadcasters to put in place appropriate policies and procedures for handling contributions to current affairs and news programmes via social media."

The new set of rules is designed to promote independent and impartial journalism and to defend the rights of citizens to access fair and objective news content.

The code obliges broadcasters to be fair with interviewees and not to broadcast an interview without consent.

The BAI has dropped a plan to draw up a public register of interests so listeners or viewers could have information about the interests of editorial staff or presenters. But this was dropped for legal reasons.

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland says the guidelines are designed to promote independent and impartial journalism. Chairman Bob Collins denies the new rules are a form of censorship on presenters.

Read the full document here