Work-Blog-Thing

Published on 6 May 2006 in , , , ,

Well today’s the day and I’ve done my duty. Just after noon, I sent an email to my line manager. It was a very exciting email, reading as it did, something a little like this:

Dear Manager

In accordance with the the new BBC ‘Guidelines on Employees Personal Weblogs and Webspaces’, I am hereby informing you that I, Andrew Paul Bowden, have a personal website that includes a weblog.

I hereby state that it is my personal and wholeheartedly held belief, that I, the aforementioned Andrew Paul Bowden, meet and fullfil the criteria set out in the aforementioned document, ‘Guidelines on Employees Personal Weblogs and Webspaces’.

Yours

Andrew Paul Bowden, BSc

Okay, it wasn’t quite like that. Honest. I did contemplate sending it in that style, but decided that it was taking the mick just a bit too much.

So anyway, the new guidelines are out – guidelines which myself and many other BBC bloggers contributed to. You can see them yourself in a lovely Word document on the BBC guidelines sight, or if you’d prefer, there’s a text version on Jem’s site.

As I wrote over a year ago in a post cunningly called Work and Blogging, I’m a firm supporter of having some solid ground rules – just in case you ever need them. I’ve never really worried about trouble from my managers in New Media about anything I’ve ever posted, but past experience has shown that sometimes it’s good to have some rules just in case there are any problems.

Many BBC bloggers helped shape the guidelines (of which I was one) and I think they’ve come out pretty sensibly. There’s one bit I especially like:

Unless there are specific concerns about the nature of your job, you are free to talk about BBC programmes and content on your blog.

BBC Guidelines on Employees Personal Weblogs and Webspaces’

It was always a bit of a grey area, I’ve never felt hugely comfortable being negative about BBC programmes for some reason, but now I can say this legitamely, and without fear of retribution.

Two Pints of Lager and a Packet Of Crisps Please is not funny.