Radio News- legal and ethical

1. Legal and Ethical Codes in Radio
News

2. Learning Aims:
• MUST be able to describe what
ofcom do and how their codes
affect radio news broadcasts
• SHOULD be able to illustrate
how ofcom maintain standards
using broadcasting codes.
• COULD justify reasons for
upholding BBC values and
ofcom codes

3. Ofcom
“Independent regulator and competition authority for the
UK communications industries.”
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/

4. Ofcom is the independent
regulator for the UK
communications industries.
They have responsibilities
across television, radio,
telecommunications and
wireless communications
services.
They regulate the UK radio
industry whilst giving help and
advice to the listeners.

5. The Ofcom Broadcasting Code
The Broadcasting
Code applies to all of
your broadcast
material.
These rules state what
broadcasters can and
cannot do.

6. Decency and Obscenity
Issues of decency and
obscenity in particular can
be dependent on context.
A song lyric which would
pass unnoticed at
11.00pm might generate
outrage and serious
complaints at 11.00am,
and Ofcom recognises
this.

7. To give you a scenario:
Eminem has released a new
single which contains
explicit lyrics and lyrical
content of a violent nature.
As a radio station regulated
by Ofcom we have to abide
by their broadcasting Code.
Within this code are a
number of sections.

8. Here is an example from the section
Protecting the under Eighteens
Violence and dangerous behaviour
1.11
Violence, its after-effects and descriptions of
violence, whether verbal or physical, must be
appropriately limited in programmes broadcast
before the watershed or when children are
particularly likely to be listening and must also be
justified by the context.
Offensive language
1.15 Offensive language must not be used in
programmes made for younger children except in
the most exceptional circumstances.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/codes/bcode/pro
tectingu18/

9. In Pairs
• Take a look at one of these sections
and answer the questions on the
forum entitled “OFCOM forum”
• Click on the section relating to the
section you have been given.
• Religion
• Privacy
• Offensive Language
• Crime, disorder, hatred and Abuse
• Due Impartiality and Due Accuracy
• Elections and Referendums
• Fairness
• Harm and Offence
• Equal Opportunities

10. You have been given a new code to look at
Judge the reasons for using that code and the
impact it has on audiences and wider society.
• Religion
• Privacy
• Offensive Language
• Crime, disorder, hatred and
Abuse
• Due Impartiality and Due
Accuracy
• Elections and Referendums
• Fairness
• Harm and Offence
• Equal Opportunities

11. TASK: Make notes about OFCOM codes in
preparation for your assignment
• Use the codes to explain what
news broadcasters can and
can’t do
• Use the notes from the forum
• Use your brief to guide your
note taking
• Consider legal and ethical
justifications for using the
codes.

12. BBC Editorial Guidelines
The Editorial Guidelines are the BBC's
values and standards.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguideline
s/guidelines/
Activity:
In groups of four or five look at one of
the scenarios and the corresponding
section of the BBC’s editorial values (on
Moodle link under radio).
Discuss the ethical and legal reasons for
using BBC’s editorial values.

13. Defend reasons for the BBC’s editorial guidelines
based on the following points:
• democracy.
• the rule of law.
• individual liberty.
• mutual respect for and tolerance of
those with different faiths and
beliefs and for those without faith
• How do these guidelines reflect the
values of our society?

14. TASK: Continue making notes about
• Legal and Ethical
issues
• OFCOM codes
• Consider legal and
ethical justifications
for using the codes.
• BBC editorial values

15. Learning Aims:
• MUST be able to describe what
ofcom do and how their codes
affect radio news broadcasts
• SHOULD be able to illustrate
how ofcom maintain standards
using broadcasting codes.
• COULD justify reasons for
upholding BBC values and
ofcom codes