Feedback/Complaints to the BBC (or other media outlets)

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  • Cockney Sparrow
    Full Member
    • Jan 2014
    • 2303

    Feedback/Complaints to the BBC (or other media outlets)

    With the general acceptance of cost cutting, the impression the internet can be deployed to give that one can actually give feedback to monolithic organisations such as the BBC and the days of inconveniencing the BBC with the expectation of an actual reply long gone, the question is, how to influence them.

    Too often, I wonder whether giving "feedback" is a waste of my time - the comment, or form filled in goes to convenient inbox the equivalent of an electronic waste paper bin. To report a fault on the iPlayer involves peeling layers of web links and persistence in not selecting fault report, giving feedback, but making a COMPLAINT. If one has worked for an organisation that has a policy of registering them and stating how they have been dealt with, one would know its a small way to at least register something in one of their systems. I don't mind giving feedback - constructive suggestions, or compliment for something evidently done well or found pleasing to see/hear. When I started managing others, I was told about a book "Complaints are a gift" - for a business, they want to know when a customer is displeased and why, not just be left to wonder why their customers are deserting them for others. Accordingly, I am willing to complain, but try to remain in a pleasant frame of mind (usually - Prom Booking using their planner and the like excepted).

    Given the activity on various threads at various times here, the last minute of todays "Feedback" Radio 4, 16:30 will surely be of interest. OFCOM has required the BBC to publish data as to complaints received each fortnight, which brings it into line with OFCOM requirements of other broadcasters. AND any programme which gets more than 100 complaints will need to be specified and the BBC will respond as to the editorial response to the issues raised and which were upheld.

    To save some googling, here is the rather limited OFCOM page
    Ofcom is the UK’s regulator for the communications services that we use and rely on each day. We regulate broadband, home phone and mobile services, TV, radio and video on demand services, oversee the universal postal service, look after the airwaves used by wireless devices, and help make online services safer for the people who use them.

    Here is the BBC complaints page (last time I looked for such a simple thing, I couldn't find one) :
    These pages have information about how to complain to the BBC, with links to the BBC’s Complaints Framework, the BBC’s regulator Ofcom and regular reports about complaints. If you would like to understand how we collect and use personal data, please refer to our privacy notice. Watch our short film to learn more about how the BBC responds to your feedback.

    And the process, set out over a fair number of pages, revised October 2017 can be downloaded using a link on the right "BBC Complaints framework and Procedures"

    I can think of at least one current issue where 100 complaints could be made within a fortnight, and we would be interested to see what results.....

    (However, I am sufficiently realistic to know that BBC editors, or program makers will hardly change - they appear on Feedback and never admit fault - the uniformity of that response does confirm, as if we needed it, that there is abundant arrogance at play in the BBC. And I'm sure that FrenchF could wearily point out how they will swerve, undermine, distract, dispute the provisions and their application in an attempt to minimise the need to explain or even count the communications they receive. Just to say, I always say "please register this as a complaint, confirm you have done so and let me have your register/reference number for it". No doubt the BBC will do all that automatically - which is easy. Its actually thinking there is any need to re-consider which is the difficult part.

    Perhaps we can establish when the 2 week period starts, so we can ensure any complaints we have can be lodged within one statistical fortnight rather than be spread over two of them.
    Last edited by Cockney Sparrow; 17-11-17, 17:51. Reason: Grammar, spelling (I'm sure still not perfect).
  • french frank
    Administrator/Moderator
    • Feb 2007
    • 30804

    #2
    Originally posted by Cockney Sparrow View Post
    I can think of at least one current issue where 100 complaints could be made within a fortnight, and we would be interested to see what results.....
    You might be interested in the latest report of complaints to the BBC especially: "The number of complaints we receive is sometimes inflated by lobbying campaigns and the seriousness of complaints cannot be judged by volume alone."

    Having complained about the BBC regularly over the last 14 years, I have learned that the complaint has to meet certain criteria and you need to tailor the complaint depending on who you send it to. The success rate is quite small but sometimes rewarding
    It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

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    • Nick Armstrong
      Host
      • Nov 2010
      • 26628

      #3
      Originally posted by Nick Armstrong View Post
      Anyone know why the Tuesday and Wednesday episodes [of the COTW programme about Emilie Mayer] are unavailable on “Sounds”?

      This issue resolved itself, but yesterday I noticed that the Friday episode was still unavailable a week after transmission. Wanting to hear it, I went to the ‘contact’ page of the R3 website and was initially stymied by the absence of any means of contact, in favour of endless “FAQ”s… until I noticed a sidebar pop-up for “Live Chat”

      I tried this and it works very well. An efficient person called Rebekah responded immediately, recognised and noted the issue and said she would pass it on to the relevant team. Then this morning, barely 12 hours later, I received this email from one of said team:



      The episode is duly available on “Sounds”

      Impressive


      .
      Last edited by Nick Armstrong; 01-10-22, 16:06.
      "...the isle is full of noises,
      Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
      Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
      Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

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