Media Regulation

  

Regulation refers to the whole process of control or guidance, by established rules and procedures, applied by governments and other political and administrative authorities to all kinds of media activities. Media industries need to be regulated to provide rules and regulations to ensure that organisations operate fairly.

2) What is OFCOM responsible for?

They are responsible to monitor the way that their industries work.

3) Look at the section on the OFCOM broadcasting code. Which do you think are the three most important sections of the broadcasting code and why?

Sections 2, 5 and 6. For sections 5 and 6, impartiality in politics is incredibly important to democracy and for section 2, media that could cause harm and offence is needed in order to not cause outrage and spread hate.

4) Do you agree with OFCOM that Channel 4 was wrong to broadcast 'Wolverine' at 6.55pm on a Sunday evening? Why?

I don't think it was wrong because in the real world the age that people should view certain certificates of film, it's not really that accurate. It all matters on the maturity levels of the consumer could be mature/ready for the 'restricted' content in the product. 


5) List five of the sections in the old Press Complaints Commission's Code of Practice. 

Section 1: Accuracy

Section 2: Opportunity to Reply

Section 3: Privacy*

Section 4: Harassment*

Section 5: Intrusion Into Grief and Shock

6) Why was the Press Complaints Commission criticised?

The lack of statutory powers means that when a newspaper has been found to break the rules, the best a victim can hope for is an apology, which often does not get sufficient prominence in the paper.

7) What was the Leveson enquiry and why was it set up?

It involved a phone hacking scandal and it was regarding two journalists who were both employed by newspapers. Someone was hacking and illegally intercepting calls between the royal family. Victims of press intrusion also gave evidence, including Hugh Grant and Charlotte Church who gave details about how they felt the press had been able to intrude on their personal lives to an unacceptable extent. It was set up to protect people from press/media intrusion.

8) What was the PCC replaced with in 2014?

Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO)

9) What is your opinion on press regulation? Is a free press an important part of living in a democracy or should newspapers face statutory regulation like TV and radio?

I think things that could have the potential to influence a massive audience should be viewed but within reason. Maybe if there is a political show coming on, I feel that's where the line should be drawn, as some channels remits are simply to entertain. PSB's that have the right to display such things, if they mention it in their remits, it is fine to include such things. 

TV and Radio should be regulated to an extent as I feel the artistic value and measure should be rewarded with more screen time. If we do not give the creative or recreational shows enough airtime, then the British broadcast scene will become very bleak, hostile and dull.

10) Why is the internet so difficult to regulate?

The internet cannot just be controlled. There is too much content being uploaded per second for the governments of the world to keep up. Internal regulations with platforms such as YouTube have a strict and possibly biased regulation system. Social media utilises a report button and relies on both the users and administrators to regulate content within the realms of the platform. We as a generation who has absolutely unlimited access to the internet, are aware of the prominent risks and dangers of the 'malicious' content that could be on the internet.