Party election and referendum campaign broadcasts

Our role

The BBC, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) and the Welsh Authority must have regard to our views when determining their policy and rules about the allocation of party political, party election and referendum campaign broadcasts.

In July 2009 we wrote to Ofcom setting out our views on proposed changes to its rules on party political and referendum broadcasts.

Find out more on the Our views page

BBC's criteria

The BBC is required to include party political broadcasts and referendum campaign broadcasts in some or all of its UK Public Broadcasting Services.

Click here to view BBC criteria for the allocation of party election broadcasts at the 2010 UK general election (PDF).

BBC Trust consultation on referendum campaign broadcasts

The BBC Trust has consulted on:

Draft referendum guidelines
Draft referendum campaign broadcasts criteria
Draft referendum campaign broadcasts and Party Political Broadcasts (and Party Election Broadcasts) complaints process.

The consultation closed on 7 December 2010.

Find out more on the BBC Trust guidelines here

Reports

In 2003 we published our review of the role of party political broadcasts in providing voters with information to support their voting decisions, including the criteria governing their allocation.