Complaints Form

Stations must not broadcast material which is unfair, inaccurate, harmful, or likely to cause offence. The Authority regulates this principally by acting upon complaints received from listeners.

What should I do if I have heard something which seems wrong?

First of all, contact the station concerned. If you’re still unhappy, write to us, telephone (details here) or e-mail us (prog&ad@radioauthority.org.uk) for a complaints form.

Alternatively a complaints form (in Microsoft Word 6.0 format) can be downloaded directly here.

Please do this as soon as possible, ensuring that your written complaint arrives at the Authority within five weeks of the date of the broadcast, as during this time recordings of the relevant broadcast should be available for us to listen to. The Broadcasting Act only requires stations to keep recordings for forty-two days.

What information does the Authority need to investigate my comments?

We need to know the following details in full:

On which station(s) the item was broadcast;
The date and time (as accurately as possible) when the item was broadcast;
Full details of your complaint.

What will the Authority do?

We will acknowledge your complaint in writing, and decide whether or not to proceed with a full investigation. We will refer to the Broadcasting Act 1990 and our Codes of Practice to see if your comments fall into areas covered by them. These include matters such as impartiality, accuracy and good taste and decency, and whether commercials are misleading, harmful or offensive. We may also consider comments about the range of programming, as each station must broadcast the kind of output it promised when it applied for its licence.

A copy of each station's Format, which lists its specific commitments, is available in at least one major library in each licence area, on the Authority's website, or from our information office.

If we decide to investigate your complaint, we ask the station for tapes and/or scripts to establish whether or not we agree there is cause for concern. The station is also asked to comment on the matter and is sent a copy of your complaint, although it is not told your identity unless this is relevant and even then only with your agreement.

What can the Authority do if it decides there has been a breach of the rules?

On our website, we publish a quarterly complaints bulletin which gives full details of all complaints and adjudications. (The Programming and Advertising Review, highlighting some of the issues raised by complaints each quarter, is also sent to the radio stations, press and other interested parties, and is available on the website). Complaints are also held on records, and may attract adverse publicity for the station. In more serious cases, the Authority can issue a formal warning and can also request a broadcast apology or correction, or impose a penalty which may include a fine or the shortening, suspending or taking away of a station’s licence to broadcast. When an advertising complaint is upheld, we can require that the commercial concerned be withdrawn immediately or amended.

How will I know what has happened with my complaint?

We will write to you with the results of our investigation. We aim to deal with complaints within three weeks, although some more lengthy or complex cases may take slightly longer. If your complaint is not completed within a month, we will normally let you know why there has been a delay.

But if my complaint is not upheld, haven’t I wasted my time?

No. All comments are useful in helping the Authority do its job; they often highlight areas of concern where new or amended rules might be appropriate, and they help to keep the Authority in touch with the views of the public. Attitudes to bad language and other content matters often change over the years, and listeners’ comments are of value to establish what is generally accepted. As reports of all complaints are also sent quarterly to all stations, they can learn from, what has caused comment.

Is the Authority impartial?

Yes. The Authority is a statutory body, carrying out duties set out in Acts of Parliament. The Authority’s costs are met by fees paid by the stations it licenses.

Can I appeal?

Yes, there is an appeals procedure here at the Radio Authority. The Chief Executive will re-examine the way in which a complaint has been dealt, if it is referred formally after an adjudication. That issue can then also go to the full Authority for major cases raising serious points of principle. The Authority is also subject to judicial review.

Is there anyone else I can complain to?

The Broadcasting Standards Commission is a separate organisation from the Radio Authority. Besides investigating complaints and researching attitudes about matters of taste and decency, as does the Authority, it deals with complaints from people who believe they have been unfairly treated or subjected to unwarranted infringement of their privacy. the Broadcasting Standards Commission and the Radio Authority have agreed not to duplicate work, so you should complain either to the BSC or to us, but not to both. The Radio Authority may take regulatory action if the BSC upholds a complaint against one of its licencees. The Broadcasting Standards Commission's address is 7, The Sanctuary, London SW1P 3JS. telephone 020 7 233 0544.

The Radiocommunications Agency deals with enquiries and complaints about domestic radio interference and reports of unlicensed broadcasting (pirate radio). They can be contacted at Wyndham House, 189 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SX. telephone 020 721 0211 email library@ra.gsi.gov.uk.

BBC Programmes

The Authority is not responsible for anything broadcast by the BBC. Any comments about BBC local or national radio should be sent to: BBC Information, PO Box 1116, Belfast BT2 7AJ telephone 0870 0100222.

Revised: December 19, 2001 .