Select Committee on Information Report

CHAPTER 7: Broadcasting of proceedings

38.  The Information Committee supervises the arrangements for televising and sound broadcasting the proceedings of the House and its committees. The Director of Parliamentary Broadcasting, who works for both Houses, monitors adherence to the rules of coverage laid down by the Committee.

BBC PARLIAMENT DURING THE OLYMPICS

39.  The Committee approved the BBC's plan to remove BBC Parliament temporarily from the freeview platform for the period of the Olympic Games only, which fell within the summer recess. The service would have been restored if Parliament had been recalled. BBC Parliament highlights service continued to be transmitted on satellite, cable and online during this period as normal.

EMBEDDING

40.  Many broadcasters, MPs and Peers would like users to be able to 'embed' Parliamentary material into their own web sites. Under the terms of the current licences, the Parliamentary Broadcasting Unit Limited (PARBUL) cannot allow any of its licensees to offer embedding. However, embedding could allow wider access to parliamentary proceedings through websites and other channels, and the Committee supports measures which would increase coverage, and thereby understanding, of Parliament. Whilst there would be risks in allowing embedding, given those benefits, the Committee would like to see further examination of how this might be achieved.

41.  We have therefore asked the Director of Parliamentary Broadcasting to undertake further research on the opportunities and risks of allowing end user embedding of footage of parliamentary proceedings and to report back to the Committee.

PLACING PARLIAMENTARY FOOTAGE ON SEARCHABLE WEBSITES

42.  A number of MPs have suggested that they should be allowed to place clips of their appearances in the Commons Chamber on video-sharing websites such as YouTube. Although, the issue was raised first in the Commons, we recognise that there may be a similar interest in the House of Lords. Also, as the PARBUL agreement is bicameral, any changes affecting the licence should be agreed by both Houses.

43.  The Committee asked the Director of Parliamentary Broadcasting to undertake research and negotiations with PARBUL and report back to the Committee. The Committee subsequently recommended to the Clerk of the Parliaments that he should approve an approach to PARBUL to vary the terms and conditions of the sub-licence variation to Peers so as to allow Peers to post coverage of their parliamentary contributions on external searchable web sites. The Committee also agreed certain conditions for such posting. The Committee has asked for advice and technical support to be provided so that all Members who wish to can upload parliamentary footage onto searchable websites.

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