Jump to content

The Green Book (BBC): Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m Reflinks: Converting bare references
No edit summary
 
(39 intermediate revisions by 27 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Booklet of guidelines}}
⚫
{{Refimprove|date=September 2009}}
{{Cleanup|date=September 2009}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
⚫
{{More citations needed|date=September 2009}}


'''The Green Book''' is the common name of the '''BBC Variety Programmes Policy Guide For Writers and Producers''', a booklet of guidelines issued by the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] to its producers and writers of [[comedy]] programmes in 1949. It detailed what was then permissible as comedy material. Its [[bureaucratic]] tone and strictures caused great amusement in the comedy world and most of these are now completely out of date. It was a confidential document and it was kept under lock and key. Many of the instructions caused much hilarity even at the time and have continued to do so.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}} The executive responsible was the then Head of Variety, [[Michael Standing]], though it was to a considerable extent a collection of memos which had already been issued over the years.
The '''BBC Variety Programmes Policy Guide For Writers and Producers''', commonly referred to as '''The Green Book''', is a booklet of guidelines issued by the [[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]] in 1949 to the producers<ref>{{Cite web |title=2000-producers-guidelines |url=https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines/Legacy_Guidelines/2000-producers-guidelines.pdf |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=BBC}}</ref> and writers of its [[comedy]] programmes. It detailed what was then permissible as comedy material but its bureaucratic tone and outlandish strictures caused great amusement in the comedy world at the time. Most of its content is now completely out of date.
It was a confidential document and was kept under lock and key. The executive responsible for its release was the then Head of Variety, [[Michael Standing (BBC Producer)|Michael Standing]], although it contained a large amount of material which had been previously issued in the preceding years in memo form.


The full text was published in the book ''[[Laughter in the Air]]'' by [[Barry Took]] with the BBC’s permission in 1976.<ref>{{Cite book
The full text was first published with the BBC's permission in the book ''[[Laughter in the Air]]'' by [[Barry Took]] in 1976.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Took |first=Barry |url=https://archive.org/details/laughterinairinf0000took/mode/2up |title=Laughter in the Air |publisher=[[Robson Books]] / [[BBC]] |year=1981 |isbn=0860511499 |edition=Revised and enlarged |location=London |via=[[Internet Archive]] |authorlink=Barry Took}}</ref> It has since been sold by the BBC itself.
|title=Laughter in the Air
|first=Barry |last=Took
|authorlink=Barry Took
|publisher= Robson Books / BBC |location=London
|year=1976
|isbn=0903895781
}}</ref> It has since been put on sale by the BBC itself.


==Content==
Among things banned were jokes about [[Toilet|lavatories]], effeminacy in men, immorality of any kind, suggestive references to [[honeymoon]] couples, chamber[[maid]]s, [[ficus|fig]] leaves, ladies' [[underwear]] (e.g. ‘winter draws on’), [[lodger]]s and commercial travellers and the vulgar use of words such as ‘basket’.<ref name=autogenerated1>[http://gazilla.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/bbc-variety-programmes-policy-guide-1949/ BBC Variety Programmes Policy Guide 1949 | ...and gazuky<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Among jokes banned were those concerning lavatories, effeminacy in men, immorality of any kind, suggestive references to honeymoon couples, chambermaids, fig-leaves, ladies' underwear (such as "winter draws on" and so on), lodgers and commercial travellers and the vulgar use of words such as "basket".<ref name=autogenerated1>[http://gazilla.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/bbc-variety-programmes-policy-guide-1949/ BBC Variety Programmes Policy Guide 1949 | ...and gazuky<!-- Bot generated title -->]{{dead link|date=June 2023}}</ref>


Caution had to be taken with jokes about drink, with not too many in any programme. Also to be avoided were derogatory references to [[solicitors]], [[commercial traveller]]s, [[miner]]s and ‘[[working class|the working class]]’. Banned too was any reference to The [[McGillycuddy of the Reeks]], or jokes about his name, in response to past complaints.
Caution had to be taken with jokes about drink, with not too many allowed to be made in any single programme. Also to be avoided were derogatory references to solicitors, miners and "the working class". Banned too was any reference to the [[McGillycuddy of the Reeks]], or jokes about his name, in response to previous complaints.


While the word ‘niggers’ was banned, the phrase ‘[[Minstrel show|Nigger Minstrels]]’ was still tolerated. the document also advises that: "Extreme care should be taken in dealing with references to or jokes about pre-natal influences (e.g. His mother was frightened by a donkey)"<ref name=autogenerated1 />
The word "nigger" was banned although the phrase "[[Minstrel show|Nigger Minstrels]]" was still tolerated. The document also advised: "Extreme care should be taken in dealing with references to or jokes about pre-natal influences (e.g. His mother was frightened by a donkey)."<ref name=autogenerated1 />


It has been observed that if these rules were still followed, a great many of the BBC's many successful comedy shows since such as ''[[Beyond our Ken]]'', ''[[Till Death Us Do Part (UK TV series)|Till Death Us Do Part]]'' or ''[[Steptoe and Son]]'' would never have been aired.
It has been observed that if these rules had been strictly followed a great many of the BBC's most successful comedy shows since, such as ''[[Beyond Our Ken]]'', ''[[Till Death Us Do Part]]'', ''[[Steptoe and Son]]'', would never have been aired.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

The successor to the ''Green Book'', the ''Producer Guidelines'', the corporation's programme-making code of ethics was introduced by Director-General [[John Birt, Baron Birt|John Birt]] in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/march/bbc-producer-guidelines-published|title=BBC Producer Guidelines published|work=History of the BBC|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref> This was comprehensively rewritten in 1993 largely by the BBC's Controller of Editorial Policy [[Richard Ayre]] who went on to become a BBC Trustee.<ref>{{cite web|url =https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/who_we_are/trustees/richard_ayre.html
| title = BBC Trust: ''Richard Ayre, Trustee''| author = BBC Trust| date = 2010-03-18| accessdate = 2017-05-22}}</ref> The retitled ''BBC Editorial Guidelines'' are now on the seventh edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/guidelines/foreword-tony-hall|title=Foreword by Tony Hall|website=BBC Editorial Guidelines|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref>


== Further reading==
== Further reading==
* {{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7676195.stm|title=How radio comedy changed a nation|publisher=[[BBC]]|accessdate=2010-07-23 | date=2008-10-17}}
* {{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7676195.stm|title=How radio comedy changed a nation|publisher=[[BBC]]|accessdate=2010-07-23 | date=2008-10-17}}
* {{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/graham_stewart/article5057759.ece|title=When the BBC banned baskets and fig leaves|publisher=[[The Sunday Times]]|accessdate=2010-07-23 | location=London | first=Graham | last=Stewart | date=2008-11-01}}{{deadlink|date=July 2012}}
* {{cite news|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/columnists/grahamstewart/article2052341.ece|title=When the BBC banned baskets and fig leaves|publisher=[[The Sunday Times]]|accessdate=2015-05-28 | location=London | first=Graham | last=Stewart | date=2008-11-01}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Green Book (BBC), The}}
[[Category:BBC|Variety Programmes Policy Guide For Writers and Producers]]
[[Category:BBC]]
[[Category:British radio comedy]]
[[Category:British radio comedy]]
[[Category:Censorship in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1949 in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1949 in radio]]

Latest revision as of 23:57, 28 March 2024

The BBC Variety Programmes Policy Guide For Writers and Producers, commonly referred to as The Green Book, is a booklet of guidelines issued by the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1949 to the producers[1] and writers of its comedy programmes. It detailed what was then permissible as comedy material but its bureaucratic tone and outlandish strictures caused great amusement in the comedy world at the time. Most of its content is now completely out of date. It was a confidential document and was kept under lock and key. The executive responsible for its release was the then Head of Variety, Michael Standing, although it contained a large amount of material which had been previously issued in the preceding years in memo form.

The full text was first published with the BBC's permission in the book Laughter in the Air by Barry Took in 1976.[2] It has since been sold by the BBC itself.

Content

[edit]

Among jokes banned were those concerning lavatories, effeminacy in men, immorality of any kind, suggestive references to honeymoon couples, chambermaids, fig-leaves, ladies' underwear (such as "winter draws on" and so on), lodgers and commercial travellers and the vulgar use of words such as "basket".[3]

Caution had to be taken with jokes about drink, with not too many allowed to be made in any single programme. Also to be avoided were derogatory references to solicitors, miners and "the working class". Banned too was any reference to the McGillycuddy of the Reeks, or jokes about his name, in response to previous complaints.

The word "nigger" was banned although the phrase "Nigger Minstrels" was still tolerated. The document also advised: "Extreme care should be taken in dealing with references to or jokes about pre-natal influences (e.g. His mother was frightened by a donkey)."[3]

It has been observed that if these rules had been strictly followed a great many of the BBC's most successful comedy shows since, such as Beyond Our Ken, Till Death Us Do Part, Steptoe and Son, would never have been aired.[citation needed]

The successor to the Green Book, the Producer Guidelines, the corporation's programme-making code of ethics was introduced by Director-General John Birt in 1989.[4] This was comprehensively rewritten in 1993 largely by the BBC's Controller of Editorial Policy Richard Ayre who went on to become a BBC Trustee.[5] The retitled BBC Editorial Guidelines are now on the seventh edition.[6]

Further reading

[edit]
  • "How radio comedy changed a nation". BBC. 17 October 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  • Stewart, Graham (1 November 2008). "When the BBC banned baskets and fig leaves". London: The Sunday Times. Retrieved 28 May 2015.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "2000-producers-guidelines" (PDF). BBC. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  2. ^ Took, Barry (1981). Laughter in the Air (Revised and enlarged ed.). London: Robson Books / BBC. ISBN 0860511499 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ^ a b BBC Variety Programmes Policy Guide 1949 | ...and gazuky[dead link‍]
  4. ^ "BBC Producer Guidelines published". History of the BBC. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  5. ^ BBC Trust (18 March 2010). "BBC Trust: Richard Ayre, Trustee". Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Foreword by Tony Hall". BBC Editorial Guidelines. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=The_Green_Book_(BBC)&oldid=1216089163"