On Wednesday 12th August BBC Radio 4 broadcast an episode of 'Reality Check' that looked at CCTV cameras and surveillance with particular reference to the cameras on the Cowley Road, East Oxford.

Section 44 of the BBC's charter agreement states:

"The BBC must do all it can to ensure that controversial subjects are treated with due accuracy and impartiality in all relevant output"

In this programme that was clearly not the case and consequently they are in breach of their charter. The programme was a mix of pro CCTV propaganda and lies.

No CCTV has had an active campaign in Oxford fighting the installation of the Cowley Road cameras since October 2007. If you type "CCTV Cowley Road" into any internet search engine then No CCTV will be listed at or near the top of sites found. No CCTV produced a comprehensive report into the Cowley Road CCTV scheme and unlike Liberty (who were invited to participate in the programme) take a strong and principled stand against surveillance cameras. Yet the BBC did not invite No CCTV to take part in the programme.

Read No CCTV's full analysis of the programme at:
 http://www.no-cctv.org.uk/blog/bbc_breaches_charter_with_one_sided_cctv_debate.htm.

BBC programme complaints can be lodged at  http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

The programme is available to listen to on BBC iplayer until 19th August at  http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00lynzj

No CCTV's report into the Cowley Road CCTV is at  http://www.no-cctv.org.uk/docs/No-CCTV_Interim_report-Cowley_Road_v1_2.pdf