Media regulation

Media regulation

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet 128: Contemporary Media Regulation. Our Media Factsheet archive can be found at M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets. You can find it online here - you'll need to log in using your Greenford Google login.

Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks:

1) What is regulation and why do media industries need to be regulated?

Very few industries leave the organisations or companies who operate in that sector to their own devices. Systems of regulation are required to provide rules and regulations to ensure that organisations operate fairly. In the media industry there are several regulatory bodies that exist to monitor the way that their industries work. Broadcast media (TV and Radio) are regulated by OFCOM – the Office of Communication and the advertising industry is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority. Newspapers are currently regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation, which replaced the discredited Press Press Complaints Commission in 2014. Although the purpose of these bodies have some similarities, they way they operate is quite different in order to suit the needs of the industry they regulate.

The 1984 “video nasties” scare provides an interesting case study of what can happen without regulation. Video Cassette Recorders (VCRs), which enabled people to record TV broadcasts and play pre-recorded tapes became available in the 1960s. It was from around 1975 that the machines became cheap and effective enough to gain mass popularity and by the early 1980s, a sizeable industry had grown up supplying tapes of movies that people could rent to watch at home. However, as the technology was new, there were no laws to govern how the video rental market should work. Consequently, it was perfectly legal for a 5 year old child to rent explicit horror films such as Cannibal Holocaust or The Evil Dead. After a widespread public outcry, the government passed the Video Recordings Act in 1984 which introduced regulation to the video market for the first time. Cinema style classification certificates were introduced, preventing young people from obtaining material that was unsuitable for them.

2) What is OFCOM responsible for?

The Office of Communication (OFCOM) is responsible for regulating television, radio, telephone services and some aspects of the internet, although the areas most relevant to media students are TV and radio. There are some areas that are not the responsibility of OFCOM, such as TV Advertising which is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and On Demand services which are regulated by the Authority for Television On Demand. (ATVOD).

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?

• Section 3: Crime- people should not be violent and involve in violence.
• Section 7: Fairness- fairness is is essential since any content should be viewed equally and not influenced by the reviewer's own biases.
• Section 8: Privacy- everyone should be entitled to their own privacy and there personal information should be respected.

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

Yes, I agree that it was wrong to broadcast Wolverine at 6.55pm on a Sunday evening as it is more likely for young children to be watching TV at that time, and Wolverine is not suitable for younger viewers to watch as it is age rated 13, and it includes sex and nudity, violence, drugs, alcohol and abusive language.

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?

It’s critics claim that 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. Critics also argue that many newspapers seem to fly in the face of the rules on a pretty regular basis and that very little is done to stop them. It’s defenders point out that a free press is a vital part of a functioning democracy. If statutory rules were imposed, newspapers ability to hold politicians and other people in power to account would be greatly diminished.

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

Throughout 2011 and 2012, an inquiry into the “culture, practice and ethics of the press” was held, mainly as a result of the so-called phone hacking scandal.

8) What was the PCC replaced with in 2014?

On 8th September 2014, the PCC was replaced by the 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 press control is crucial to prevent the spread of untrue or misleading information that might negatively impact other people. Like any other media, newspapers should be regulated by regulations to preserve their professionalism and avoid using abusive language or acting in ways that could provoke backlash or violence between one another.

10) Why is the internet so difficult to regulate?

Such traditional processes are challenging since content provision on the internet is unrestricted and requires no licencing. International agreements and fundamental law can be used to remove illegal content, but if no government worldwide enforces them, the content may remain available to everyone.