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7 November 2009
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Online Services Guidelines in Full

Editorial Integrity & Independence

• Introduction
• Links to external sites
• Criteria for linking to external sites or other content
• Factual accuracy
• Examples of appropriate linking to external sites
• Editorial checks
• Disclaimers
• Links to sites which do not share BBC editorial values
• Controversial content
• Undue prominence
• Automatically generated links
• References to BBC commercial channels, services & products
• Trails on bbc.co.uk for commercial products related to BBC programmes
• Sites for BBC commercial magazines
• On-Air Trails for BBC online services
• Use of commercial logos on BBC sites
• Outside providers of material
• Programme support material
• Programme support material for makeover programmes
• Programme support material for independent productions & co-productions
• Credits
• Production credits
• Placing of credits
• Photographs in credits
• Logos as credits
• Animations, movies & videos
• Credits & links
• Third party software for visitors to BBC sites
• Software downloads
• Logos & credits within software commissioned by the BBC

Logos as credits

Great caution needs to be exercised in the use of third party logos. Inclusion of third party logos on the BBC's web site is not generally acceptable as a form of credit or recognition of a third party's role. Logos are used to enhance brand value and are a strong advertising tool.

But there are some circumstances when the use of an outside logo on the BBC site may be an appropriate credit.

The main reason for the use of a logo is:

• there may be a single use of an outside logo in the credits for a co-production, or independent production. For example, if an independent production company produces a BBC web site, it may have a single logo in the online credits. Joint Editorial Initiatives may have a single logo per page
• in other cases, an outside provider of material may require the company's logo to appear next to the material as a credit. This might be the case when sports footage or stills are provided by another broadcaster
• in our online coverage of a sponsored event, there are some circumstances where a specific tournament or event logo may be used. For a sponsored BBC Event, a commercial sponsor's own logo may only be used if it is clearly separated from the BBC logo
• where software is being downloaded the use of a logo may, exceptionally, be justified but only if it complies with the principles above and has been approved as below.

All logos or icons in credits must have the express advance approval of the relevant Interactive Executive Editor.

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