BBC to time-delay live sensitive broadcasts

All major news broadcasters reported live from the scene of the hostage crisis, in which more than 300 people died. Cameras were rolling as bloodied hostages, many of them children, fled the school.

The BBC’s new editorial guidelines stipulate: ‘‘A delay must be installed when broadcasting live coverage of sensitive and challenging events such as the school siege at Beslan.’’ If it had been in place in September 11, 2001, the delay would have covered reporting of the twin towers tragedy in New York, which was broadcast live by the BBC and many other broadcasters.

The revised guidelines will come into effect July 25 and will replace the company’s producers’ guidelines to reflect a new broadcasting code by the British regulator OFCOM and the world’s ‘‘changing media environment’’.

The new guidelines concern other media issues as well. They include an explicit commitment for the first time that ‘‘for the BBC, accuracy is more important than speed’’.

Undercover investigations using secret recording equipment must be kept ‘‘under constant review,’’ the BBC said.

The company’s investigations into crime and serious anti-social behavior ‘‘must be clearly editorially justified’’.

The controller of the BBC’s editorial policy department, Stephen Whittle, must personally approve any proposal to employ someone on a BBC investigation who is known to have a criminal record or background of illegal activity, the company said.

—PTI