BBC journalists face column ban

Andrew Gilligan expanded on his dossier report in a newspaper

BBC journalists are to be banned from writing contentious newspaper columns, the corporation has said, ahead of possible criticism from Lord Hutton.

The BBC said such columns were often incompatible with its impartiality but stressed the ban would not apply to "non-contentious" issues like cooking.

BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan expanded on claims an Iraq dossier was "sexed-up" in a Mail on Sunday column.

The subject of BBC journalists writing for other employers was one of the matters discussed at Lord Hutton's inquiry into the death of Dr David Kelly.

The Ministry of Defence scientist apparently killed himself after being named as the suspected source for Mr Gilligan's report, which first appeared on Radio 4's Today programme.

But it was only in the subsequent Mail on Sunday article that Mr Gilligan said his source had named Tony Blair's former director of communications, Alastair Campbell, as the person behind the alleged "sexing up" of the dossier.

'Impartiality essential'

The BBC's new arrangements - approved by the Board of Governors - mean this would not have been able to happen.

They affect all staff and freelance journalists whose main income comes from the BBC and who write regular newspaper and magazine columns.

Director of News Richard Sambrook said: "Impartiality is an essential element to the BBC's reputation and to our journalism.

"Columns and newspaper articles on controversial issues depend on expressing opinions to an extent which is often incompatible with the BBC's impartiality."

Columns and newspaper articles on controversial issues depend on expressing opinions to an extent which is often incompatible with the BBC's impartiality Richard Sambrook BBC's Director of News

The ban does not include columns on subjects such as cooking and DIY, film and music reviews or syndicated articles which first appeared on BBC News Online.

But all these will still have to be approved by a senior manager and released via the BBC press office.

The BBC said it was not planning to change any existing contracts so some columns will be unaffected until next spring.

It also denied newspaper reports that staff would receive pay offs of up to £150,000 to compensate them for any loss of earnings resulting from the ban.

"We will absolutely not be paying people. There is no way the BBC could possibly justify the use of public funds to pay people not to do something," a spokesman said.