Media Regulations

By Georgina Nelson

Truth & AccuracyViewers are entitled to expect that programmes are completely accurate and truthful and the audience must not be misled.

This applies to all types of programming, which includes; • Entertainment

programmes with factual elements.

• Portraying real events, whether in documentary, features, factual entertainment, drama or any other programme.

The viewer is entitled to take at face value, must respect truth and accuracy. Programmes must be honest, fair and accurate and must not mislead viewers.

• They use truth and accuracy in supersize me by giving facts about health and interviews from experts.

PROTECTING UNDER 18s & HARM AND OFFENCE

Under 18s have to be protected from potentially harmful and offensive material. One of the main ways of achieving this is through the appropriate scheduling of programmes.

Programmes with anything to do with sex , drugs and violence is normally played after the watershed.

Offensive language e.g. “cunt”, “motherfucker”, “fuck” and more these words must never be used in programmes before the watershed.

In programmes most likely to be seen widely by under 18s at any time, alcohol, smoking and drugs should not be encouraged or glamorised unless there is editorial justification.

The watershed is 9 pm.

• They do this in supersize me by not swearing or using offensive language.

Secret Filming

Individuals must not be filmed or recorded secretly for programmes unless approved by the broadcaster in advance.

The maker of the programme must set out in writing their justification for covert filming/recording. It must satisfy the provisions of Section 8.13 of the Code.

Before any secret filming is undertaken, there are detailed guidelines you must follow.

The show Rogue Traders that is shown on Watchdog is legal even though they film undercover and exposing rip off merchants for years.

In supersize me you do see a bit of secret filming where they film people walking on the street without them knowing.

Fairness & Privacy

Must avoid the unfair treatment of individuals or organisations in programmes.

If the programme you’re making involves criticising or making any damaging allegation about any living individual or organisation, seek advice from your programme lawyer.

Any significant infringement of privacy of an individual or organisation, in the making or broadcast of a programme, must be warranted by the public interest.

Fairness & Privacy is used in supersize me by not giving unfair treatment to others. They also give two sides.

Copyright• All material must be properly cleared

for use within programmes and this is the responsibility of producers. Wherever programme-makers wish to rely on one of the statutory defences to copyright infringement e.g. fair dealing or incidental inclusion, they must seek advice from the programme lawyer at an early stage.

They have copyrighted the documentary supersize me and also give credit to where they have found the information.

Reconstructions

All reconstructions have to be fair and accurate.

If there is a risk that viewers might be misled, reconstructions must be labelled as such to avoid confusion with the viewers.

Where there is risk of causing distress by reconstructing actual events, appropriate parties should be informed.

In supersize me there are no reconstructions.

Payments

You should never make payments to sources or contributors without reference to and the approval of the broadcaster. This doesn't include modest out-of-pocket expenses e.g. to cover meals and taxi fares, which are unlikely to be problematic.

You must always seek advice from the programme lawyer

Never make any payment or promise to make any payment to any witness or defendant involved in any kind of legal proceedings without the consent of the commissioning editor and programme lawyer.

In supersize me Morgan Spurlock paid people to eat the unhealthy food. He also paid the extras.

http://www.spurlockwatch.typepad.com/

Dealing with Contributors

If advertising for contributors, the wording in a advert should be approved by the commissioning editor and programme lawyer.

Contributors should take part in programmes on the basis of their informed consent.

Consent should normally be in the form of a signed release form, although consent on camera may be satisfactory.

Any ‘set-ups’ or use of deception must be justified by the public interest and this must always be agreed before hand by the broadcaster, unless it is intended to seek consent of those filmed before broadcast.

Programme-makers must comply with the rules on payments.

Potentially Offensive MaterialMaterial that may cause offence e.g. strong language, violence, sexual violence, explicit sexual portrayal etc. must always be justifiable by the context. Advice should be sought from the legal & compliance department at an early stage.

The commissioning editor, on the advice of the programme lawyer, will ensure that an on-air warning is given to viewers, where appropriate.

Potential offensive materiel in Supersize me is like that they may offend obese people with what they say.

Commercial References

Programmes should not give undue prominence to commercial products or services.

Product placement is prohibited.

Where programmes contain viewer competitions and/or premium rate telephone lines for viewers to call, seek advice from the programme lawyer.

Sponsored programmes must not contain promotional references to the sponsor, its activities or products or services.

Glossary • Accuracy: Being true, correct, exact, precision or exactness/correctness.

• Balance : Certain aspects that keep the program fair, such as showing or expressing more than one opinion on a subject matter.

• Impartiality : To be impartial is to take a non-biased stance. Not favouring one side or the other, not trying to influence someone.

• Objectivity : Relates to facts, based on facts, factual research and being factual. There is a right or wrong.

• Subjectivity : Relates to opinions and conjecture. There is NO right or wrong.

• Opinion : Opinion is what a person thinks about something. For instance, my opinion is that mushrooms are disgusting and inedible. Someone else might love them.

• Bias : When an opinion is slanted towards ones own belief or interest.

• Representation : The act of representing, or the state of being represented.

• Access : A means of approaching, entering, exiting, communicating with, or making use of

• Privacy : the condition of being private or withdrawn; seclusion

My documentary

Who’s really behind the screen?• Reconstructions – We are going to try and make it as accurate as possible and not try to

misled. Not to make anyone distressed. We will reconstruct someone talking to a what she thinks is a young hot guy through facebook and then also film the girl meeting up with the boy who turns out to be a man.

• Truth and Accuracy- We need to make sure we do not lie and misled people. We also need to be 100% truthful. We will be truthful by giving a lot of evidence.

• Protecting under 18 and Harmful and offence – We need to make sure we don’t use any harmful and offensive stuff towards others. We are also airing our documentary after the water shed at 9pm as it will have some swearing.

• Secret Filming – We would have to make sure we had the persons permission , we may also set up a reconstruction which will look like a secret filming.

• Fairness & Privacy – We need to make sure everything in our documentary is fair and that we don’t invade peoples privacy. We will do this by making sure we have peoples permission to show there face etc.