BBC staff who blog

It is a funny co-incidence that I stumbled upon this piece by Steve Outing today - "When Journalists Blog, Editors Get Nervous". Two quotes below:

"Personal employee blogs, it seems, are land mines for media employers. The nature of the Internet is why. A simple family blog written by a reporter might contain a reference to trouble at work, or discontent with a boss. It's so easy for such an item -- meant for a tiny group but accessible by the entire Web world -- to take on a life of its own and spread to a huge audience, embarrassing not only the employer but also the employee. The media operates in a Google-driven, Romenesko world now."

"The majority of journalists that I spoke with in reporting this column seem mostly content to blog under some limited restrictions from their employer -- mindful that what they publish on their own time could damage the credibility of their employers, and potentially cost them their jobs."

Pre-Hutton the BBC issued guidelines about journalists writing columns in the press, but didn't appear to address online publishing at all - and indeed BBC News have dabbled online with the Reporters Log format. I have my own take on what it is responsible and not responsible for me to publish.

I just came across a blog by a BBC staffer whose site I'd not known of before. This week they published a post about a terrible time they were having at work. I was astonished to read it, put two and two together, and realise it has an impact on one of my projects. I can only sympathise with the frustration they must be feeling. And yet again marvel at the internet as a communication tool. Forewarned is forearmed.

Posted by Martin Belam, February 29, 2004
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