Sugar v BBC
[2012] UKSC 4
Independent editorial summary — not the official judgment. Read the full judgment via the source link.
Ratio Decidendi
Information held by the BBC for purposes of journalism, art, or literature is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The exemption is absolute and applies to all information held for those purposes.
Facts
Mr Sugar requested the BBC's internal report on Middle East coverage. The BBC refused under the journalism, art, and literature exemption.
Judgment Summary
The Supreme Court held that the exemption applies to information held to any significant degree for the purposes of journalism, even if also held for other purposes.
Key Quotes
"The primary contention made on behalf of the BBC is that, where it is held by the BBC even only partly for purposes of journalism, information is beyond the scope of the Act ; and thus that, provided that the purposes of journalism are significant (i."
— the Court(verbatim, verified against the judgment)
Subsequent Treatment
Applied in subsequent FOI cases involving the BBC and other designated bodies.
What To Do Next
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