RESTRICTED
Heads of FCQ Geographical
Departments, Planning Staff
From:
Date:
HKD
Atas 9/12
PRM Hinchcliffe
in Ju
HEST
3 December 1986 HKK 3064
1 1 DEC 1986
MAED, ESSD, UND, Consular Department
FCO CONTACTS WITH THE BBC EXTERNAL SERVICES
1. The BBC External Services need to be well informed at all levels about the Government's policies to ensure that they can plan and prepare their programmes "in the national interest". Under the BBC's Licence and Agreement, the External Services are required to consult and collaborate with the FCO and to obtain and accept from us information about conditions in and HMG's policies towards other countries. The onus is, however, very much on the FCO to make the running in developing and cultivating contacts in the External Services. It is moreover in our
interests to take the initiative as part of our respons- ibilities to ensure the grants-in-aid to the External Services (over £110 million in 1986/87) are being spent efficiently and efdfectively.
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2. Information Department pass a considerable amount of class- ified information (up to and including confidential) on a regular basis to an agreed list of senior managers in the External Services who have been security cleared. This material includes a sift of daily telegrams, despatches, Country Assessment papers and a limited number of letters from posts, particularly from Eastern Europe. We also have regular formal and informal exchanges with the External Services' management. Many geographical departments also already have regular contact with Bush House and I would like to encourage others, who may not be doing so, of the importance and usefulness of developing a good working relationship with the Heads of the appropriate BBC language services in Bush House.
3 We cannot and do not attempt to interfere in the content of programmes broadcast by the External Services, who have full editorial control. · But regular liaison should make it easier for Departments to make points when necessary about issues of particular concern to HMG that we may want highlighted or played down. Recent examples of issues on which it has been important for the External Services to understand fully and reflect HMG's views are the Hindawi affair and the declaration of a 150-mile exclusion zone around the Falklands. The BBC often welcome special background briefing on newsworthy foreign policy issues and Heads of Service are happy to call on members of departments at the FCO for this purpose.
4. The basic ground rules for FCO exchanges with the Heads of individual langauge services, and others who are vetted, are that they are off the record ard in confidence and, unless stated otherwise, nothing will be used in a broadcast or referred to by the BBC in conversation or correspondence. The BBC understand and respect these rules. Mr Rawlinson, Head of the BBC Section in this Department, is ready to provide further information about -names of contacts, liaison guidelines etc.
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