Complaint
This programme included an interview with a spokesman for the Energy and Utilities Alliance which a listener complained was inappropriate and inaccurate because the ±«Óãtv “had failed to establish the suitability of the EUA as an independent voice on energy issuesâ€.  The ECU considered whether the programme had met the ±«Óãtv’s editorial standards of accuracy and impartiality.
Outcome
The presenter, Winifred Robinson, began the item by explaining the Government was encouraging domestic consumers to replace existing gas boilers with heat pumps. Â She said grants were available but the take up had been lower than the Government target, and that heat pumps can be expensive to install even with a grant and may not be suitable for every home. Â She continued as follows:
I’ve been speaking to a couple of people who can give us the benefit of their experience. Mike Foster speaks for the big boiler manufacturers, he’s from their trade group the Energy and Utilities Alliance, and Mark Jones has been working out what to do about a new boiler.
In the ECU’s view listeners would therefore have understood Mr Foster was speaking on behalf of “the big boiler manufacturers†and was not independent. The exchanges which followed, and a separate item a week later, included references to both the benefits and the drawbacks of heat pumps. Overall, the item was consistent with the ±«Óãtv’s standards of accuracy and impartiality.
Not Upheld