1. Media Regulations
By Georgina Nelson

2. Truth & Accuracy
Viewers are entitled to This applies to all types
expect that programmes of programming, which
are completely accurate includes;
and truthful and the
audience must not be • Entertainment
misled. programmes with
factual elements.
• Portraying real The viewer is entitled to take
events, whether in at face value, must respect
documentary, featur truth and accuracy.
es, factual Programmes must be honest,
entertainment, dram fair and accurate and must
a or any other not mislead viewers.
programme.
• They use truth and accuracy in supersize me by giving
facts about health and interviews from experts.

3. PROTECTING UNDER 18s & HARM AND
OFFENCE
Under 18s have to be
protected from potentially Programmes with anything to The watershed is
harmful and offensive do with sex , drugs and 9 pm.
material. One of the main ways violence is normally played
of achieving this is through the after the watershed.
appropriate scheduling of
programmes. In programmes
Offensive language e.g.
“cunt”, “motherfucker”, most likely to be
“fuck” and more these seen widely by
words must never be under 18s at any
used in programmes time, alcohol, smoki
before the watershed. ng and drugs should
not be encouraged
• They do this in or glamorised
supersize me by not unless there is
swearing or using editorial
offensive language. justification.

4. Secret Filming
Individuals must not be filmed or recorded secretly for
programmes unless approved by the broadcaster in advance.
The maker of the programme Before any secret
must set out in writing their filming is
justification for covert undertaken, there
filming/recording. It must are detailed
satisfy the provisions of guidelines you must
Section 8.13 of the Code. follow.
In supersize me you The show Rogue Traders that is
do see a bit of secret shown on Watchdog is legal even
filming where they though they film undercover and
film people walking exposing rip off merchants for years.
on the street
without them
knowing.

5. Fairness & Privacy
Must avoid the unfair If the programme Any significant infringement of
treatment of you’re making privacy of an individual or
individuals or involves criticising organisation, in the making or
organisations in or making any broadcast of a programme, must be
programmes. damaging warranted by the public interest.
allegation about
Fairness & Privacy is any living
used in supersize me individual or
by not giving unfair organisation, seek
treatment to others. advice from your
They also give two programme
sides. lawyer.

6. Copyright
• All material must be properly They have copyrighted the
cleared for use within programmes documentary supersize me and
and this is the responsibility of also give credit to where they
producers. Wherever programme- have found the information.
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.

7. Reconstructions
All reconstructions have
to be fair and accurate.
Where there is risk of
If there is a risk
causing distress by
that viewers
reconstructing actual
might be
events, appropriate
misled,
parties should be
reconstructions
informed.
must be labelled
as such to avoid
In supersize me there confusion with
are no reconstructions. the viewers.

8. 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 In supersize me Morgan
problematic. Spurlock paid people to
eat the unhealthy food.
Never make any payment or promise to make any payment He also paid the extras.
to any witness or defendant involved in any kind of legal
proceedings without the consent of the commissioning
editor and programme lawyer.
You must always
seek advice from
the programme
lawyer http://www.spurlockwatch.typepad.c
om/

9. Dealing with Contributors
If advertising for contributors, Consent should
the wording in a advert should normally be in Any ‘set-ups’ or use of deception
be approved by the the form of a must be justified by the public
commissioning editor and signed release interest and this must always be
programme lawyer. form, although agreed before hand by the
consent on broadcaster, unless it is intended
camera may be to seek consent of those filmed
Contributors should take part in
satisfactory. before broadcast.
programmes on the basis of
their informed consent.
Programme-makers must comply with the rules on
payments.

10. Potentially Offensive Material
Material 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.

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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.