The NUJ is investigating claims the BBC ran stolen film footage from a trade union demonstration to smear Unite activists at Grangemouth.
On October 31st, the corporation ran a news item accusing Unite activists of during the dispute with Ineos using bullying tactics by demonstrating outside the homes of refinery managers.
To illustrate the story they screened footage, taken without permission from activist video collective Reel News, of two different Unite protests about blacklisting six months previously.
A statement from Reel News said: “We would like to make it clear that footage which depicted a demonstration by Unite members and others against the illegal practice of blacklisting was used without our knowledge or permission. It would be difficult to quantify our anger and disgust when we realised to what purpose our ripped material was being used.
“We immediately contacted the BBC and demanded that the report be taken down as it violated both our copyright and our moral rights as creators. The BBC refused and the report continued to roll throughout the day on both the main news programmes and hourly on News 24. The report was later put on BBC iPlayer despite our complaint being lodged.”
NUJ national freelance organiser John Toner said: “I have written to the BBC, asking for a right of reply on the issue of the distorted use that was made of the Reel News footage. We fully support Reel News in their efforts to set the record straight in relation to what is actually happening in the footage.
“We are entitled to expect the highest standards of journalism from our public broadcaster, but on this occasion I can express only shock and dismay. I have also raised the issues of copyright and moral rights, and asked that they make an offer of compensation.”
“I will not tolerate the use of my material to attack the very people I am giving a voice to” – read Reel News film-maker Shaun Dey’s statement here.
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