Defining impartiality in European public service media. A comparative analysis of the BBC, RTÉ, AND VRT.

Abstract

Amid growing criticism and political scrutiny, defining and operationalising impartiality has ‎become essential for public service media (PSM). This research examines how impartiality is conceptualised‎ across policy, editorial guidelines, and regulatory oversight in three Western European markets through ‎a comparative analysis of documents from the BBC (United Kingdom), VRT (Flanders-Belgium), and RTÉ‎(Ireland). The article demonstrates that, first, while regulatory obligations enforce ‘impartiality’, clear‎ definitions in policy documents are lacking; second, editorial guidelines on impartiality show that it should ‎be perceived as a process rather than as a measurable, achievable state of journalistic performance.‎ Finally, the article shows the increased importance of complaint mechanisms and gatekeepers addressing‎ concerns about impartiality and its (audience) perception. Simultaneously, it demonstrates that existing ‎assessments fall short in researching its complexity, contributing to the perception that impartiality is an ‎achievable state of journalism that can be achieved in news reporting by journalists.‎