This blog will discuss OFCOM Broadcasting Code and BBC Editorial Guidelines and how they relate to certain issues because of rules they have to follow.
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/broadcast-codes/broadcast-code/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/guidelines/
Handling of Stories Involving Minors
OFCOM have guidelines to follow when handling stories involving minors, they have to ensure that people under 18 are protected. Material may have impact on under 18 must not be broadcast. This is to protect their physical, mental and moral development.
According OFCOM children are defined as under 15, therefore OFCOM should protect them by providing appropriate scheduling. This includes what the content is, the age and amount of children listening including when is broadcast such as school time, weekends, holidays.
When the broadcast start time and finish time of the programme, what channel or station and the particular programme will be on, and when it is likely for the audience to listen the station at what time and what day is the best for them for example, people may listen to the radio on their way to work or on the way home from work every weekday.
The watershed is only for the television however radio stations still need to consider the watershed to protect their vulnerable listeners. The watershed is at after 21:00 and before 05:30 because most children are in bed. It is recommended that any unsuitable material is shown much later than 21:00 as children may still be around. It is very important that broadcasters do not give any clues to the identification of a person who is not yet adult. They should not give any information which could be used with another source (jigsaw effect) to piece together and identity a young person.
Children can be encouraged to take drugs, drink, smoke, etc... if they see this glamorised on TV. Therefore it is important that these scenes should only be shown either after the watershed or if the editor can strongly justify showing them before the watershed.
Violence, aggressive and dangerous behaviour, either verbal or physical, is not allowed to be shown before the watershed unless there is strong editorial justification.
Offensive language should not be used in TV or radio in case when children are likely to be listening or watching before the watershed or except in the most exceptional circumstances or it is justified by the context.
BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) said sexual material must not be broadcast at any time but can be between 22:00 - 05:30 on premium subscription services and pay pre view/night services that can only accessed by a PIN code. Also they should make sure that the subscription is an adult.
Nudity must only shown before watershed must be justify by the context.
Demonstrations of exorcisms, occult practices and the paranormal must not be on TV before watershed or on the radio when the children are likely to listen to.
They must protect under 18 if they are starring in the film even they have a consent even though you still need to protect them from anxiety and distress.
An example of protecting under 18 would be 'Rochdale Paedophile Grooming Gang'. They have been abusing five vulnerable teenagers after plying them with alcohol, food and small sums of money in return for sex. The news have mentioned a 13 year old girl, 'One 13 year old victim became pregnant and had the child aborted while another was forced to have sex with 20 men in one night...' 13 year old girl, her name was never mentioned in the news as she is under 18.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9253250/Rochdale-grooming-trial-Police-accused-of-failing-to-investigate-paedophile-gang-for-fear-of-appearing-racist.html
Contempt of Court
Contempt of Court means when the media are not allowed to comments or give information about an active court case, this would create a large risk because it will influences the jury because they might change their mind before the court ends. If the media publish it, it is a criminal offence and carries serious penalties such as they could get fined or sent to prison for two years or more the one who is responsible for the broadcast, normally the editor. Also you can even get trouble such as making payments to witnesses, filming/recording inside court buildings without permission, or publishing information that is from confidential court documents in civil and criminal proceedings.
An example of this would be from the Sunday Mirror that they have to pay £75,000 (plus £54,000 in costs) for publishing an article that led to the collapse of a trial. It was one of the biggest contempt of court fines in newspaper history.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2012/nov/29/contempt-of-court-newspapers
Libel and Defamation
Libel is a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation, a written defamation.
Defamation is saying and writing something about someone that is not true and damages the reputation.
An example of libel and defamation would be about Lord McAlpine's libel action against Sally Bercow for unproven defamatory tweets. The tweet was, 'Why is Lord McAlpine trending *innocent face*' So McAlpine says that Bercow has accused him child sexual assault. The trial will be split into two parts and concluded as soon as possible. Bercow has tried to settle the claim by paying three times the amount offered however McAlpine rejected it.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/apr/16/lord-mcalpine-libel-sally-bercow
Contempt of Elections
The media are not allowed to talk about the elections and whatever side they are on. They have to be fair and equal by telling the facts of each of them and make sure they don't give their opinions. They are allowed to discuss the elections as long as they never give reference to anything that may influence people to vote for a certain party.
The example of contempt of elections would be that David Cameron criticised the BBC for behaving 'badly' and 'stupidly' in its coverage of next week's Eastleigh by election. This is bad because the BBC are a big company and people wouldn't expect them to be biased. Therefore it could have an influence on their reputation.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/9890162/Conservatives-go-to-war-on-bias-at-the-BBC.html
Official Secrets Act
Official Secrets Act is a stock short title used in different states for legislation that provides for the protection of state secrets and official information, mainly related to national security. You are not allowed to break a law but people sign a statement to the effect that they agree to abide by the restrictions of the Official Secrets Act. Signing has no effect on which actions are legal, as the act is a law, not the contract. Signing is more reminder to the person that they are under such obligations.
An example of this would be about an Australian magazine told the world about Prince Harry going to Afghanistan. This is something that the media everywhere would have known but couldn't say anything because of the Official Secrets Act. However, the Australian magazine did and therefore put Prince Harry in danger and broken the Official Secrets Act.
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-207_162-3920712.html
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