Ofcom's Chief Executive, Melanie Dawes, has warned the BBC that their reputation goes "straight to the heart of the BBC's wider reputation beyond its news and current affairs coverage" amid a review of the Corporation's social media guidelines following the Gary Lineker tweet row.
Lineker was stood down from presenting Match of the Day after comparing the language surrounding the government's illegal migration policy to that used in 1930s Germany.
His fellow sports presenters walked out in protest which led to a review of the BBC's social media guidelines.
The regulator acknowledged that while strict rules are needed for news presenters, questions of freedom of expression become more relevant when looking beyond that.
Dawes highlighted that the issue of impartiality is challenging and goes beyond the reach of the regulator.
Ofcom's Chief Executive, Melanie Dawes, has warned the BBC that their reputation goes "straight to the heart of the BBC's wider reputation beyond its news and current affairs coverage" amid a review of the Corporation's social media guidelines following the Gary Lineker tweet row.
Although BBC's editorial guidelines fall outside the remit of Ofcom, Dawes urged the broadcaster to look at its guidelines to "safeguard the reputation of the BBC - including impartiality.
" The review of BBC social media guidelines was announced after Gary Lineker criticised the government's illegal migration policy.
As a result, Lineker was stood down from presenting Match of the Day on Friday, leading several other sports presenters to walk out in protest.
Dawes said that while strict rules are needed for news presenters, questions of freedom of expression become more relevant when looking beyond that.
The BBC's Director-General, Tim Davie, has promised an independent review of social media guidelines, which he denied was the BBC backing down.