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| Benefits Street live debate on Channel 4 commissioned | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A studio debate, to include community members, is to take place after the final episode of Channel 4's Benefits Street, a public meeting has been told. | A studio debate, to include community members, is to take place after the final episode of Channel 4's Benefits Street, a public meeting has been told. |
| About 100 people were at a meeting in Birmingham to "allow residents to respond" to the series depicting the city's James Turner Street. | |
| Some viewers have been concerned about the portrayal of benefit claimants. | |
| One couple with jobs have told the BBC they were cut out of the programme because they were not on benefits. | |
| Channel 4 said the live debate would be chaired by broadcaster Richard Bacon. | |
| It said the programme would go out at 22:00 GMT on 3 February, directly after the final episode of the five-part documentary series, which is filmed in Winson Green. | It said the programme would go out at 22:00 GMT on 3 February, directly after the final episode of the five-part documentary series, which is filmed in Winson Green. |
| Channel 4 said the panellists would represent views across the political spectrum "and crucially those who claim benefits". | |
| Its head of factual, Ralph Lee, who has commissioned Mentorn Media to produce the live debate, said: "[The series] does not and never has set out to reflect the experiences of every person who receives benefits. | Its head of factual, Ralph Lee, who has commissioned Mentorn Media to produce the live debate, said: "[The series] does not and never has set out to reflect the experiences of every person who receives benefits. |
| "Yet it has triggered a national debate about state welfare at a time in which further welfare reforms are being proposed." | "Yet it has triggered a national debate about state welfare at a time in which further welfare reforms are being proposed." |
| Oasis UK, which runs the Oasis Foundry Academy school, where Wednesday evening's public meeting was held, told people attending that the debate would take place. | |
| Speaking to the BBC outside the meeting near James Turner Street, Rev Steve Chalke, of Oasis UK, said: "[Channel 4 have] agreed… there's going to be a studio debate, a kind of Question Time debate, and the community will be represented." | Speaking to the BBC outside the meeting near James Turner Street, Rev Steve Chalke, of Oasis UK, said: "[Channel 4 have] agreed… there's going to be a studio debate, a kind of Question Time debate, and the community will be represented." |
| 'Fair and balanced' | |
| Those attending Wednesday's public meeting were given post-it notes and told to write down how they felt about Channel 4. | Those attending Wednesday's public meeting were given post-it notes and told to write down how they felt about Channel 4. |
| Media representatives were banned from taking pictures at the meeting because organisers said the programme, filmed in the Winson Green area, had destroyed people's trust. | Media representatives were banned from taking pictures at the meeting because organisers said the programme, filmed in the Winson Green area, had destroyed people's trust. |
| Mark Jastrzebski, leader of a nearby neighbourhood watch scheme, said: "I think it's disgraceful the way we have been portrayed. | Mark Jastrzebski, leader of a nearby neighbourhood watch scheme, said: "I think it's disgraceful the way we have been portrayed. |
| "It's a poverty-stricken area but there's a Benefits Street in every city." | "It's a poverty-stricken area but there's a Benefits Street in every city." |
| But a resident who wished to be anonymous, a support worker who lives just off the street, said the programme was a fair reflection. | But a resident who wished to be anonymous, a support worker who lives just off the street, said the programme was a fair reflection. |
| She said: "It's ridiculous for people to be telling Channel 4 to take it off." | She said: "It's ridiculous for people to be telling Channel 4 to take it off." |
| Head teacher Emma Johnson said the meeting had been a success and added: "It's got people from the community here. It's the beginning of a process of working together." | Head teacher Emma Johnson said the meeting had been a success and added: "It's got people from the community here. It's the beginning of a process of working together." |
| One working couple told BBC Radio Four's Today programme their contribution had been cut out of the show because they were not on benefits. | |
| Channel 4 has called the programme a "fair and balanced observational documentary". | Channel 4 has called the programme a "fair and balanced observational documentary". |
| Kieran Smith, from Love Productions, which made the programme for Channel 4, said he was "incredibly proud" of the show and said they were clear from the beginning it was about benefits. | |
| He said there were lots of people coming up in the series who were in work or trying to get into work. | |
| He said one of the reasons the working couple was not included was because one of them was a benefits officer. | |
| "The idea we weren't upfront and we weren't clear about the fact we were making a series that was foregrounded about benefits is just untrue," he said. |