TV bosses given new data guidelines

19 Feb 2010

New guidelines for independent television producers have been announced in a bid to help broadcasters comply with data protection laws.

The guidelines have been drawn up as part of a collaborative effort between Pact, the independent producers' trade association, and the four main terrestrial broadcasters, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five, as part of wider measures to ensure producers are aware of their responsibilities under the Data Protection Act.

It is hoped the new framework will restore trust in broadcasters' data security measures as new technology increases the risk of major data losses.

Chief executive for Pact, John McVay said: "Data security is an increasingly important issue, particularly as new technologies mean data can travel further and faster than ever before. These guidelines help to protect producers from unintended breaches and create consistency and awareness that is beneficial to the industry as a whole."

Bal Samra, the BBC's director of rights and business affairs echoed Mr McVay's comments, claiming there is "no quicker way to lose trust than to lose people's data".

https://www.pact.co.uk/homepage/home/ (Pact)