For reference, it seems that this is where it was discussed when the guidelines were updated: Broadcast Guidelines - #6 by IvanDobsky
A short discussion, and it seems to only have had feedback from myself, @IvanDobsky and @reosarevok (and reo/the style lead was open to changing it in future/did not firmly advocate for one or the other).
Personally, I disagree that having a studio audience makes a release live in the sense that I expect, which is… a (usually public) single performance that is performed and recorded.
I’ve never come across this confusion - a professional BBC studio production is not live (as I expect it), whereas a BBC release called “Joe’s Jokes Live at Bob’s Amphitheatre” will be.
On the other hand, if it doesn’t explicitly say “filmed in front of a studio audience” I don’t know how the editor would know if the studio audience was edited in later (e.g. canned laughter, or recorded over) - and I think the distinction would be pointless anyway.
I’m fine for the guideline to be changed if there’s consensus, but my interpretation/expectation of ‘live’ is that it’s a (within reason) 1 take performance in front of a crowd. e.g. If a band records an album in the same way as always/a studio album, but with a crowd in the recording booth, I don’t consider it live 