Back in March, BECTA’s Content Advisory Board (CAB) presented its last report to Lord Adonis. Their criticisms of BBC jam pointed out in no uncertain terms that the BBC was unlikely to meet the conditions set by the DCMS.

Luckily for the BBC, the most recent minutes of the CAB meetings date back to January. As they are supposed to meet quarterly, we assume they have met twice since then, and to prompt them we have made an FOI request for any CAB documents relating to BBC jam. The paucity of documents is perhaps related to the CAB’s request that the DCMS carry out a review of BBC jam by September, although they seemed to think there was no urgency as, ‘we understand prior to this date the BBC will not be significantly marketing the service’. Strange, because the soft launch took place eleven months ago at BETT.

Why the Digital Learning Alliance haven’t dragged the BBC before the European Courts is perplexing, as in their report to Lord Adonis last December, even the CAB suggested this was ‘likely’. It’s easier for the BBC to deny our FOI request under the guise of commercial confidentiality than admit it’s too politically sensitive, or that they don’t want to upset the DCMS before their review is published, or worst of all get dragged into court.

We also sent a FOI request about documents relating to BBC jam to the DCMS, although so far there has been a stony silence; quite a contrast to BECTA who confirmed receipt of our request within one working day.

Unfortunately BECTA have now announced that while they hold the information we have asked for, they too are likely to deny our request claiming ‘qualified exemption’ although Lesley Cox, BECTA’s Head of Internal Communications and Information management wrote, ‘we have not yet reached a decision on where the balance of the public interest lies’.

The BBC had promised to give us a decision by 16 Nov. but so far we have had no reply. We have now lodged an official complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office, although to say they sounded disinterested would be an understatement. We’ll keep chipping away and eventually the truth will out, or not, as BECTA, the BBC and DCMS seem to hope.

www.bbc.co.uk

www.becta.org.uk

www.ico.gov.uk