Channel 4 welcomes Ofcom ruling on Great Global Warming Swindle

21 July 2008

Regulator endorses channel's right to show climate change documentary

Channel 4 has welcomed today's ruling by media regulator, Ofcom, that the channel was within its rights to transmit climate change documentary, The Great Global Warming Swindle, and that the film did not materially mislead the audience.

In response to 265 public complaints, Ofcom has ruled the 90-minute programme, transmitted on Channel 4 in March 2007, did not breach Rule 2.2 of its Broadcast Code, which states "factual programmes must not materially mislead the audience".

Ofcom's ruling states: "Ofcom considers that it is important, in line with freedom of expression, that broadcasters are able to challenge current orthodoxy. It is self-evident that there will be strong disagreements over the ‘facts' on an issue such as the causes of global warming - where some scientists disagree. Some may wish to challenge the evidence and the conclusions drawn from it. Channel 4, however, had the right to show this programme provided it remained within the Code and - despite certain reservations - Ofcom has determined that it did not breach Rule 2.2. On balance, it did not materially mislead the audience so as to cause harm or offence."

Channel 4's Head of Documentaries, Hamish Mykura, said: "This film made a valid contribution to the debate on climate change. We are pleased that Ofcom has ruled the film did not materially mislead the audience. The film acknowledged the majority scientific and journalistic consensus in support of man-made global warming, but legitimately sought to present the viewpoint of the small minority of scientists who do not believe global warming is caused by anthropogenic production of carbon dioxide.

"Ofcom's ruling explicitly recognises Channel 4's right to show the programme and the paramount importance of broadcasters being able to challenge orthodoxies and explore controversial subject matter. This is particularly relevant to Channel 4 with its public remit and commitment to giving airtime to alternative perspectives."

As part of the same ruling, Ofcom found that the fifth and final part of The Great Global Warming Swindle, which examined the consequences in the developing world of the policies being pursued by Western governments, did breach Rules 5.11 and 5.12 of its Broadcast Code requiring due impartiality "on matters of major political controversy and major matters relating to current public policy".

Mykura added: "Ofcom accepted that the programme did not breach its due impartiality requirements in relation to its examination of the causes and the surrounding science of global warming. We accept Ofcom's judgement that we should have included alternative views within part five of the programme which dealt specifically with matters of public policy.

"This programme was just one of a number of programmes on Channel 4 in 2007 that dealt with environmental issues; the overwhelming majority of our output on this subject has supported the consensus scientific viewpoint, as does the wider coverage of the UK media at large. In this context we think it was appropriate to balance the widespread exposure for the majority view by giving a small amount of airtime to the views of a credible, dissenting scientific minority."

In a separate ruling, also published today as part of Ofcom's regular fortnightly complaints bulletin, the regulator upheld or partially upheld three separate fairness complaints against the programme. Channel 4 is obliged to publish a summary of Ofcom's findings on these complaints; however, no sanction has been applied.

Mykura commented: "We appealed these rulings and are disappointed that Ofcom has rejected our arguments and decided to uphold or uphold in part these complaints. However, we note that they do not believe that any unfairness to contributors resulted in the programme misleading the audience.

"Ofcom has ruled that Professor Wunsch's contribution was not edited unfairly; we believe the programme makers' pre-broadcast correspondence with him spelt out in the clearest possible terms the programme's content and nature. The IPCC were given the opportunity to respond to matters raised in the programme but did not respond to or acknowledge the programme makers' approach and so we believe the amount of time given to them to respond to criticisms in the programme was ultimately immaterial. The comments attributed to Sir David King by one of the contributors to the programme were based on widespread press reports that had not been challenged or corrected prior to the programme's broadcast."

 

Notes to editors

The Great Global Warming Swindle was produced by Wag Films and was transmitted on Channel 4 on 8th March 2007.

Regulator endorses channel's right to show climate change documentary

Channel 4 has welcomed today's ruling by media regulator, Ofcom, that the channel was within its rights to transmit climate change documentary, The Great Global Warming Swindle, and that the film did not materially mislead the audience.

In response to 265 public complaints, Ofcom has ruled the 90-minute programme, transmitted on Channel 4 in March 2007, did not breach Rule 2.2 of its Broadcast Code, which states "factual programmes must not materially mislead the audience".

Ofcom's ruling states: "Ofcom considers that it is important, in line with freedom of expression, that broadcasters are able to challenge current orthodoxy. It is self-evident that there will be strong disagreements over the ‘facts' on an issue such as the causes of global warming - where some scientists disagree. Some may wish to challenge the evidence and the conclusions drawn from it. Channel 4, however, had the right to show this programme provided it remained within the Code and - despite certain reservations - Ofcom has determined that it did not breach Rule 2.2. On balance, it did not materially mislead the audience so as to cause harm or offence."

Channel 4's Head of Documentaries, Hamish Mykura, said: "This film made a valid contribution to the debate on climate change. We are pleased that Ofcom has ruled the film did not materially mislead the audience. The film acknowledged the majority scientific and journalistic consensus in support of man-made global warming, but legitimately sought to present the viewpoint of the small minority of scientists who do not believe global warming is caused by anthropogenic production of carbon dioxide.

"Ofcom's ruling explicitly recognises Channel 4's right to show the programme and the paramount importance of broadcasters being able to challenge orthodoxies and explore controversial subject matter. This is particularly relevant to Channel 4 with its public remit and commitment to giving airtime to alternative perspectives."

As part of the same ruling, Ofcom found that the fifth and final part of The Great Global Warming Swindle, which examined the consequences in the developing world of the policies being pursued by Western governments, did breach Rules 5.11 and 5.12 of its Broadcast Code requiring due impartiality "on matters of major political controversy and major matters relating to current public policy".

Mykura added: "Ofcom accepted that the programme did not breach its due impartiality requirements in relation to its examination of the causes and the surrounding science of global warming. We accept Ofcom's judgement that we should have included alternative views within part five of the programme which dealt specifically with matters of public policy.

"This programme was just one of a number of programmes on Channel 4 in 2007 that dealt with environmental issues; the overwhelming majority of our output on this subject has supported the consensus scientific viewpoint, as does the wider coverage of the UK media at large. In this context we think it was appropriate to balance the widespread exposure for the majority view by giving a small amount of airtime to the views of a credible, dissenting scientific minority."

In a separate ruling, also published today as part of Ofcom's regular fortnightly complaints bulletin, the regulator upheld or partially upheld three separate fairness complaints against the programme. Channel 4 is obliged to publish a summary of Ofcom's findings on these complaints; however, no sanction has been applied.

Mykura commented: "We appealed these rulings and are disappointed that Ofcom has rejected our arguments and decided to uphold or uphold in part these complaints. However, we note that they do not believe that any unfairness to contributors resulted in the programme misleading the audience.

"Ofcom has ruled that Professor Wunsch's contribution was not edited unfairly; we believe the programme makers' pre-broadcast correspondence with him spelt out in the clearest possible terms the programme's content and nature. The IPCC were given the opportunity to respond to matters raised in the programme but did not respond to or acknowledge the programme makers' approach and so we believe the amount of time given to them to respond to criticisms in the programme was ultimately immaterial. The comments attributed to Sir David King by one of the contributors to the programme were based on widespread press reports that had not been challenged or corrected prior to the programme's broadcast."

 

Notes to editors

The Great Global Warming Swindle was produced by Wag Films and was transmitted on Channel 4 on 8th March 2007.

Regulator endorses channel's right to show climate change documentary

Channel 4 has welcomed today's ruling by media regulator, Ofcom, that the channel was within its rights to transmit climate change documentary, The Great Global Warming Swindle, and that the film did not materially mislead the audience.

In response to 265 public complaints, Ofcom has ruled the 90-minute programme, transmitted on Channel 4 in March 2007, did not breach Rule 2.2 of its Broadcast Code, which states "factual programmes must not materially mislead the audience".

Ofcom's ruling states: "Ofcom considers that it is important, in line with freedom of expression, that broadcasters are able to challenge current orthodoxy. It is self-evident that there will be strong disagreements over the ‘facts' on an issue such as the causes of global warming - where some scientists disagree. Some may wish to challenge the evidence and the conclusions drawn from it. Channel 4, however, had the right to show this programme provided it remained within the Code and - despite certain reservations - Ofcom has determined that it did not breach Rule 2.2. On balance, it did not materially mislead the audience so as to cause harm or offence."

Channel 4's Head of Documentaries, Hamish Mykura, said: "This film made a valid contribution to the debate on climate change. We are pleased that Ofcom has ruled the film did not materially mislead the audience. The film acknowledged the majority scientific and journalistic consensus in support of man-made global warming, but legitimately sought to present the viewpoint of the small minority of scientists who do not believe global warming is caused by anthropogenic production of carbon dioxide.

"Ofcom's ruling explicitly recognises Channel 4's right to show the programme and the paramount importance of broadcasters being able to challenge orthodoxies and explore controversial subject matter. This is particularly relevant to Channel 4 with its public remit and commitment to giving airtime to alternative perspectives."

As part of the same ruling, Ofcom found that the fifth and final part of The Great Global Warming Swindle, which examined the consequences in the developing world of the policies being pursued by Western governments, did breach Rules 5.11 and 5.12 of its Broadcast Code requiring due impartiality "on matters of major political controversy and major matters relating to current public policy".

Mykura added: "Ofcom accepted that the programme did not breach its due impartiality requirements in relation to its examination of the causes and the surrounding science of global warming. We accept Ofcom's judgement that we should have included alternative views within part five of the programme which dealt specifically with matters of public policy.

"This programme was just one of a number of programmes on Channel 4 in 2007 that dealt with environmental issues; the overwhelming majority of our output on this subject has supported the consensus scientific viewpoint, as does the wider coverage of the UK media at large. In this context we think it was appropriate to balance the widespread exposure for the majority view by giving a small amount of airtime to the views of a credible, dissenting scientific minority."

In a separate ruling, also published today as part of Ofcom's regular fortnightly complaints bulletin, the regulator upheld or partially upheld three separate fairness complaints against the programme. Channel 4 is obliged to publish a summary of Ofcom's findings on these complaints; however, no sanction has been applied.

Mykura commented: "We appealed these rulings and are disappointed that Ofcom has rejected our arguments and decided to uphold or uphold in part these complaints. However, we note that they do not believe that any unfairness to contributors resulted in the programme misleading the audience.

"Ofcom has ruled that Professor Wunsch's contribution was not edited unfairly; we believe the programme makers' pre-broadcast correspondence with him spelt out in the clearest possible terms the programme's content and nature. The IPCC were given the opportunity to respond to matters raised in the programme but did not respond to or acknowledge the programme makers' approach and so we believe the amount of time given to them to respond to criticisms in the programme was ultimately immaterial. The comments attributed to Sir David King by one of the contributors to the programme were based on widespread press reports that had not been challenged or corrected prior to the programme's broadcast."

 

Notes to editors

The Great Global Warming Swindle was produced by Wag Films and was transmitted on Channel 4 on 8th March 2007.