Radio news researchers must consider ethics and news values when selecting stories to avoid regulatory issues. They look at whether stories are serious, sensational, invade privacy, or interest the public. News values provide guidelines for integrity, reliability, impartiality, and serving the public interest. When writing stories, journalists must comply with these values.

1. DeclanTyldesley
Ethics and News Values
When radio news researchers are looking for relevant news topics to use in their radio show they must
considerparticular ethics and news values, which are in relation to the legal and regulatory constraints. By
doing this they’ll have a predominantly good chance of not breaking any of the regulatory constraints
conducted by The Office of Communications (Ofcom). Some ethics and new values which they need to
considerare whetherornot it is a serious or sensational news story, whether it invades someone’s privacy
and also if the public will be interested. Furthermore, the news values for journalists spell out the ground
rulesas theyspell out the good practice which journalists should apply. They are simply a code of ethics of
good and responsible journalism. These guidelines prominently ensure the integrity of the journalist and
guarantee the reliabilityof the newsstorytherefore,theywill find out if their news story will be national or
domestic. Additionally, the BBC guidelines stated the following values which are; truth and accuracy,
impartiality and diversity of opinion, editorial integrity and independence, serving the public interest,
fairness,balancingthe rightto report with respect for privacy, balancing the right to report with protection
of the vulnerable,safeguardingchildrenandbeingaccountabletothe audience.Inaddition,whenjournalists
are writingareport theymustcomply withall of these guidelinesinorderto ensure their story reliability. In
conclusion,the conceptof citizenjournalism isbaseduponthe publicplayinganactive role in the process of
collecting, reporting, analysing and disseminating news and information.
Adam Johnson News Story
Furthermore, a mainstream news story which includes a substantial
amountof radio news story ethics is long-going news story surrounding
the past SunderlandfootballerAdamJohnson. Thisparticular news story
has beenaroundforalmostmore than twomonths therefore, the public
are still remaining interested within this news story. One of the most
recent news stories surrounding Adam Johnson was conducted by The
Mirror and itstated ‘Desperate Adam Johnson says visits from daughter
are the ‘only way he will survive in prison’. Also, this news story would
have been placed in The Mirror as this newspaper attracts a broad
demographictargetaudience therefore,the public’sinterestwill remainmuch longer, upon this news topic.
In terms of ethics I believe this particular news story is incredibly serious as the footballer Adam Johnson
who someone might look up to has sexually assaulting a fifth teen year old girl. This is known as a serious
newsstory because some parents might be disturbed that the person who their son used to look up to has
become a sex offendertherefore;Ithoroughlybelieve that they’ll be worriedfortheirson. Thisisalsoknown
as a serious news story because the football club Sunderland and all of the families involved have been
affected because they will have press and journalists on their doorstep asking if they have heard anything
about the topic or knew anything before the news story was released out to the public. I also think this
aspect would have developed the publics interested, as the public in my opinion will become fairly
mysteriousassome of them might believe that a specific person knew something. This news story is also a
story priority as it is known throughout all of the UK therefore, making it a national topic.
Despite my facts stated above I do thoroughly believe that the news has prominently invaded Adam
Johnsonsprivacy,asthe newshave talked about his background and what might have influenced him to do
such a terrible thing. In addition, the radio news has also gone into thorough detail about his marriage and
theirdaughterAyla. Inaddition,asthe BBC broadcastto everyone inthe UnitedKingdomtheywillmore than
likelybroadcastthiscontentasthistopicis well known and the public are interested in this particular news
topic. Furthermore, as they have invaded his privacy they have been able to follow up multiple different
angleswhichwouldhave developedthe demographical public’s interest substantially as they want to know
more about thisnational andmainstreamnewsstorysurroundingone of England’sgreatestfootball players.
The Mirror newspaper has also stated that ‘Adam Johnson could face ‘bloody torture with razor blades’ in
prisonandwarnednot to throw‘millionaire strops’. I think this on the other hand would have substantially

2. DeclanTyldesley
increasedthe public’sinterest as; it is trying to develop their interest throughout the usage of violent text.
For example,within TheMirror article they stated one sex offender got ‘held down, cut across the nips, his
face, his c***, and then one of the lads stuck a blade in his a***’. This on the other hand, might have gave
AdamJohnsona bitof sympathybut,inmy opinionthiswasrestrictedwhenyouthinkbacktowhat he did to
the fifth teen year old girl. In addition, within radio news they also would have used forms of audio
surroundingthisnewstopicas developedthe audience’sinterestwhenhearingsomething true and reliable.
However,Ialso believethere wouldhave alsobeenalarge amountof newsroompolicyas the aspectI stated
above isseenas incrediblyviolentand influential to some lower social class profiles. To conclude, I believe
the public interest surrounding this particular news story has been substantially increased in my opinion
prominently because of Adam Johnson’s privacy being extensively invaded.
Anti-tank Missiles News Story
In contrast, anothernewsstorywhich used a substantial amount of radio ethics and news story was a news
storywhichis titled;‘Anti-tankrockets from World War Two found at bus stop’. In addition, this news story
was alsopublishedbythe publicservice broadcaster the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). Within the
news article they stated that the ordnance was found on Epping Road,
Coopersale.Theyalsostatedthat the WW2 anti-tank rockets were dealt
with by the Army Explosives Ordnance Disposal Unit who disposed the
rockets‘nearby’. Theyalsostated that the ‘anti-tank rockets were taken
to a nearby field and blown up after the discovery’, Essex police said.
Furthermore, in reference to the ethics and news values I believe this
particular news story could have been both a serious and sensational
news story for multiple different reasons. I think this news article could have been a serious news story
because the demographical public within Essex might have been worried that WW2 anti-tank rockets have
been found on a street near them. In addition, within the news article experts also confirmed that the
missiles were live and dated from WW2. This is also quite a serious news story because I think the
demographic public will be wondering who placed the live anti-tank rockets next to a bus stop in Essex. In
addition,Ialsothinkthisnewsarticle couldhave been a sensational news story as some people might have
this large sensation that WW2 rockets have been found in Essex, because one or more of their ancestors
mighthave beenpreparingtouse these rockets againstthe opposingforce. Foraphotoof the rocketsplease
viewthe rightside of the paragraph. I therefore,thinkbecauseof these factors this news story substantially
increasedthe publicsinterested andtheirknowledge of the newstopic. Inconclusion, I think this news story
starteda substantial newstrendbecause the demographical publicwere substantiallyinterestedinthisnews
story due to the ethics and news values which were encoded by the radio producers.
David Cameron (PM) News Story
Additionally, anothernewsstorywhichhasasubstantial amountof ethicsandnewsvaluesencoded by radio
producers is an up-coming news story which surrounds the prime minister of the United Kingdom David
Cameron. The newsstoryI am goingto analyse istitled;‘Cameronoffshore fund
row: PM accused of ‘hypocrisy’. He was accused of hypocrisy after he revealed
he had owned shares in an offshore fund set up by his late father. On Thursday
the PM also said he sold the shares before he entered number 10 in 2010 and
had paid all UK taxes due on profits from the £30,000 sale. However, the
demographical public believe the PM made profit from the UK taxes. Despite
this,the PMalso statedBlairmore Holdings,had not been set up to avoid tax. In
addition,Laboursdeputyleaderalsosaidthe PMhadcalledpeople whoinvested
insimilarschemes‘morallywrong’. Furthermore, in reference to the ethics and
newsvalues Ibelieve thisnewsstoryisextremelyseriousbecause why should all of the general public have
to pay taxeslegallyandmorallyandthe PMdoesnot as he avoidsthe UK taxes. However,conservative party
MP’s have alsobeensupporting the PMDavid Cameron as they thoroughly believe that the PMhas paid all

3. DeclanTyldesley
of the taxesexpectedfromhim.Thisonthe otherhand,hasonce again leftthe publicinquestioning as I and
the public are starting to think whether or not some MP’s are avoiding taxes alongside the PM David
Cameron. Also as the PM has apparently not paid some of the UK taxes the Labour party are starting to
heavilyattackthe PMand conservative MP’s astheyare in full belief that the majority of conservative MP’s
includingthe PMare avoidingUKtaxes.Thisonthe otherhand, would have developed the public’s interest
as the publicinmy opinionwillbe insome formof rage as theyare alsoin belief thatthe PMhas made profit
fromUK taxes. Inaddition,Ialsothinkasthe vote tostay inthe EU iscomingup soonI thinkthe conservative
party have been affected badly at a substantial speed as the public are in belief that the PM is avoiding
paying UK taxes. Furthermore, this news story once again invades someone’s privacy as the public want to
knowmore as theyneedevidence toprove thatDavidCameron did not avoid paying UK taxes. This national
and established newsstoryisinvadingthe DavidCameron’s privacy as radio news producers and journalists
are looking into his past before he became the PM and they also looking into David Cameron’s father Ian
DonaldCameron to see whatformof company he invested in before he passed away in 2010. I believe, the
radio news producers and journalists will continue execute this news story at an effective speed because
DavidCameron’sprivacyseemsto develop the public’s interest substantially. As they want more evidence
whichwill prove Cameronnotguilty of avoidingUK taxes. In addition, as the producers and journalists have
been hammering and accusing the PM he has finally admitted that he benefitted from a Panama-based
offshore trust set up by his late father. In conclusion, I believe this particular news story will stay at high
stakes for a long amount of time as the national demographic public are substantially interested in this
specificnewsstory.Therefore,Ithink this news story will be at the top of the media as the PMmakes all of
the decisions for the demographical public, this news story will more than likely be followed by the
establishednewsstorysurroundingthe professional footballerAdamJohnsonasthe public are interested in
both of these news stories.
To conclude, within the 21st
century the media competes vigorously and robustly to be the first with the
newssotheircompanycan receive maximumcoverage. Alsowithinthiscentury immediacyis vitally needed
withinthiscompetitiveworldof newsgathering. Newscompaniesalsotendtouse immediacyas the general
public pay clear attention towards the news as they want to find out more interest around the world. The
publichave developedthispleasure asthe mediahasdevelopedsubstantiallytherefore,theyare able tofind
out more newsroominformation efficiently. In evidence, towards the substantial change of society, at the
start of the 20th
century whennewspaperswere the onlythe mainforce of news information therefore, the
competition was less fierce twenty years ago. Within this century it is also stated that journalists prefer to
write aboutbad newsstoriesastheytend to have a much broader target audience attracted to them as it is
something serious without the slightest touch of sensation. In my overall conclusion, a news story should
include necessary information and unusual events; it should be based on observable facts, it should be an
unbiased account and it should be free from the reporter’s opinion to avoid political demand.