Whenever major news stories involving the BBC break, BBC News and BBC Sport journalists must report on the corporation just as they would any other information of public interest.
BBC News and BBC Sport are internal divisions of the BBC, meaning journalists working here are not always aware of big decisions made by those at the top of the corporation.
That means staff handle news involving their employer with the same approach and standards as any other story: attempting to verify information, contacting the press office, and requesting comments and interviews from those involved in the story.
Your goal is then to communicate the news to the public in the most impartial, timely and transparent manner possible.
Journalists working for BBC News and BBC Sport sometimes even arrive at their bosses’ doors – approaching senior figures for unplanned interviews at home, in corridors or on the street to discuss important and newsworthy matters.
Sometimes stories involving the BBC may be published elsewhere first, for various reasons. Other media outlets may have received information from a source that has not yet reached BBC journalists, or may have a different approach to the way they publish news.
BBC Sport has a policy of ‘double sourcing’ the news it reports – checking information with at least two separate entities before publishing it to ensure our news is accurate.
