CBA releases UGC guidelines for broadcasters

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Industry body the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA) has produced a set of guidelines for broadcasters when using user-generated content (UGC).

The guidelines offer advice on treatment of contributions from users and legal issues to watch out for, with specific recommendations for different types of UGC, from interactive storytelling projects to simple article comments.

Broadcasters should not simply focus on encouraging better quality user-generated content, but should seek UGC from a diverse audience so they do not 'further amplify the voices of the better resourced members of the audience and further marginalise the poor and disempowered', recommended the report, which was authored by Martin Stott, lecturer in media and international development at the University of East Anglia.

Broadcasters must make effective use of user-generated content or users will switch to other platforms where interactivity is welcomed, claimed the report.

But it is important for broadcasters to apply the same scrutiny and editorial judgement to UGC submissions as they would to any other material. Additionally, the report has recommended setting clear guidelines for users on how their content will be treated and what they should contribute, as this will impact the quality of material received.

The guidebook, which can be downloaded for free , was written in response to a 2008 survey conducted by the CBA into broadcasters' current use of UGC initiatives, which suggests an 'almost universal desire' for more advice in this area.

The publication also suggests the importance of media organisations' use of UGC in fostering media and information literacy (MIL) amongst citizens.

"The promotion of UGC and MIL and the use of UGC are vital for helping the media to fulfill its democratic functions in society. By providing not only a space for the public to express themselves, but also the skills and capacity to take part in public debate, broadcasters can ensure that citizens' right to freedom of expression is realised," it said.

The guidelines are intended for broadcasters, but it is hoped that media regulators and other industry sectors will also pick up on them.