The BBC says producing ads for Chinese media outlets is “vital” to funding its journalism.

Exclusive: The BBC has defended its decision to produce glossy ads for Huawei and Chinese state media, saying the deals are vital to funding its international journalism.

Sean O’Hara, the BBC’s executive vice president of advertising, said the corporation reports on China “without fear or bias” despite a Deadline investigation revealing that it has commercial links with the China Global Television Network (CGTN) and other organs of the Chinese government. .

“Commercial income generated from advertising provides vital investment in BBC News, ensuring we are able to sustain our global network of journalists and bring independent and impartial news to the UK and beyond. I want to assure you that this will not affect our editorial output,” he said.

O’Hara made the comments in a memo to Lord David Alton, a British lawmaker and member of China’s Inter-Parliamentary Coalition. Alton called on the BBC to review advertising for China by commercial unit BBC StoryWorks, arguing that “it is simply not realistic to believe that commercial relations with the Chinese Communist Party have any influence on behaviour.”

Alton originally wrote to Tim Davey, the BBC Director-General, who set the governance framework for BBC StoryWorks. He referred Alton to O’Hara, then head of BBC Storyworks, for further details. O’Hara’s full email is below.

A BBC executive said: “All our operations are subject to a strict compliance process, and the content we produced for Huawei and CGTN was referred for senior editorial approval outside the department. Every decision is taken on a case-by-case basis and considered in the context of the circumstances at the time.”

He added that Alton’s concerns will feed into a regular review of StoryWorks guidelines to determine whether they “strike the right balance between achieving commercial revenue and protecting our reputation with audiences and other key stakeholders.”

In an investigation published in December, Deadline revealed that StoryWorks has partnered with at least 18 Chinese clients, including nine state-affiliated companies. StoryWorks has produced unsavory sponsored content for Huawei despite concerns about its role in state-sponsored surveillance.

BBC journalists have questioned the wisdom of StoryWorks’ involvement with Chinese propaganda organs such as CGTN, which have been accused of making reporting conditions more dangerous for British journalists.

“I’ve always been extremely uncomfortable with these relationships,” a source said. “Management has shown complete disregard for the opinions of journalists with decades of experience in the region and an understanding of the implications of what StoryWorks is doing.”

BBC letter to Lord David Alton

Dear Lord Alton,

Thank you for your email outlining your concerns.

Commercial income generated from advertising provides vital investment in BBC News, ensuring we are able to sustain our global network of journalists and bring independent and impartial news to the UK and beyond. I want to assure you that this will have no impact on our editorial output which shows our recent coverage, covering stories related to China comprehensively and without fear or bias.

The BBC has strong guidelines governing advertising on our platforms, and we take great care to ensure that all advertising content complies with external advertising laws and regulatory frameworks, as well as those in the countries in which we operate. As you would expect, all our activities are subject to a strict compliance process, and the content we produced for Huawei and CGTN was referred to senior editorial approval outside the department. Every decision is made on a case by case basis and considered in the context of the circumstances at the time.

Along with my colleagues across the wider BBC, we regularly review our guidelines and consider whether they and their interpretation strike the right balance between achieving commercial revenue and protecting our reputation with audiences and other key stakeholders, and in that ongoing process your concerns are fully addressed here. will do .

With many best wishes

Sean