Complying with Regulatory Bodies

Regulatory Bodies

Ofcom

 Section one: Protecting the under-eighteens

-          According to section 1.10, drugs and alcohol should generally be avoided and in any case must not be condoned, encouraged or glamourized.

As the client I am working with is focused on the recovery of drug and alcohol addiction, this section may potentially cause problems for the project. However I have considered this issue and ensured that the content of the video in no way glamourizes or promotes the use of drugs and alcohol.

 Section five: Due impartiality and due accuracy and undue prominence of views and opinions

-          According to section 5.1, news, in whatever from, must be reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality.

To ensure I don’t breach this code I am communicating thoroughly with my client to guarantee all information provided in the video is true, accurate and does not mislead the audience in any way.

 Section seven: fairness

-          According to section 7.2, broadcasters and programme makers should normally be fair in their dealings with potential contributors to programmes unless, exceptionally, it is justified to do otherwise.

-          According to section 7.3, where a person is invited to make a contribution to a programme (except when the subject matter is trivial or their participation minor) they should normally, at an appropriate stage:

o   Be told the nature and purpose of the programme, what the programme is about and be given a clear explanation of why they were asked to contribute and when (if known) and where it is likely to be first broadcast;

o   Be told what kind of contribution they are expected to make, for example live, pre-recorded, interview, discussion, edited, unedited, etc.;

o   Be informed about the areas of questioning and, wherever possible, the nature of other likely contributions;

o   Be made aware of any significant changes to the programme as it develops which might reasonably affect their original consent to participate, and which might cause material unfairness;

o   Be told the nature of their contractual rights and obligations and those of the programme maker and broadcaster in relation to their contribution; and

o   Be given clear information, if offered an opportunity to preview the programme, about whether they will be able to effect any changes to it.

-          According to section 7.13, where it is appropriate to represent the views of a person or organisation that is not participating in the programme, this must be done in a fair manner.

Due to the extensive involvement of various contributors in the video (acting, voice overs, interview) it is vital I ensure that they are aware of the content of the video and know how their contribution shall be used in the video. To further certify they are happy and understand this information I shall make sure that all contributors sign a participant release form.

 

 Section eight: privacy

-          According to section 8.2, information which discloses the location of a person’s home or family should not be revealed without permission, unless it is warranted.

-          According to section 8.5, any infringement of privacy in the making of a programme should be with the person’s and/or organisation’s consent or be otherwise warranted.

-          According to section 8.8, when filming or recording in institutions, organisations or other agencies, permission should be obtained from the relevant authority or management, unless it is warranted to film or record without permission. Individual consent of employees or others whose appearance is incidental or where they are essentially anonymous members of the general public will not normally be required.

It has been agreed that captions shall be added to the interview to inform the audience a little about the interviewee, so it is noted as a reliable source of information. Due to this I must ensure that I consider carefully what I include in the caption so that no private information is revealed about the interviewee. As well as this I must also consider the privacy of the people who will willingly provide life experiences to feature (in the form of quotes) in the video. It is essential the quotes don’t highlight anything particular for example number and gender of children etc. that may allow people to identify the contributor and learn about their private life.