Complaint
This was a programme in which seven members of the public who had decided not to accept vaccination against Covid-19 were asked to consider science and statistics surrounding vaccination and risks associated with it.  A viewer who writes a blog on issues related to the pandemic complained that the programme contained many inaccuracies, was biased in favour of vaccination and failed to declare conflicts of interest in relation to experts it featured, referring the ±«Óãtv to his blog for details. The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the ±«Óãtv’s standards of due accuracy and impartiality.
Outcome
Having investigated the detailed criticisms of the programme set out in the complainant’s blog, the ECU found there were no instances in which the programme was materially inaccurate or misleading; that, rather than displaying bias towards a particular view on vaccination, it simply presented relevant evidence to the seven members of the public and showed their responses; and that it was unnecessary for the programme to refer to the interests alleged by the complainant because they were not such as to call into question the contributions of the experts concerned.
Not Upheld