2. GLOSSARY
• Bias is an inclination to present or hold a partial perspective at the expense of
(possibly equally valid) alternatives. Bias can come in many forms.
• Accuracy the condition or quality of being true, correct, or exact; freedom from
error or defect; precision or exactness; correctness.
• Balance- a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight,
amount, etc.
• Impartial is where its not prejudiced towards or against any particular side or
party; fair; unbiased
• Objective - something that one's efforts or actions are intended to attain or
accomplish; purpose; goal; target: the objective of a military attack; the objective
of a fund-raising drive.
• Subjectivity- existing in the mind; belonging to the thinking subject rather
than to the object of thought ( opposed to objective).
3. • Opinion- a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete
certainty.
• Representation-action or speech on behalf of a person, group, business house,
state, or the like by an agent, deputy, or representative.
• Access – e.g. Having the access to the people you want to interview
• Privacy - . the state of being free from intrusion or disturbance in one's private life
or affairs: the right to privacy.
4. DIFFICULTY ON GETTING
INTERVIEWS.
• You have to find someone who is willing to answer your
questions.
• Finding people with different opinions is important unless you
want to be bias.
• If the people you interview are more interesting, more people
will want to watch/ read your interview.
5. DIFFICULTY FOR PRODUCERS
• Producers need to make sure they follow all the strict rule in order to get their programme
broadcasted onto the television.
Including:
Truth & Accuracy
Reconstructions
Secret Filming
Payments
Dealing with Contributors
People Under 18
Fairness & Privacy
Criminality
Impartiality
Potentially Offensive Material
Commercial References
6. TRUTH & ACCURACY
• Producers have to be accurate with the information they give to the
viewers. Viewers are entitled to expect that programmes are
accurate and true and the audience must not be misled.
• This includes a rein action with actors of when an event that took
place.
• The programme cannot miss lead viewers in thinking something
false. The programme or document must not give false statements
or facts.
7. RECONSTRUCTIONS
• All reconstructions must be fair and
accurate.
• The viewers cannot be misled,
reconstructions should be labelled in
order to not cause confusion.
• Where there is risk of causing distress by
reconstructing actual events, appropriate
parties should be informed.
• When the reconstructions are only actors
they must make this clear to the viewers.
8. SECRET FILMING
• No one can be filmed secretly for a programme unless approved
by the broadcaster in advanced.
• An individual's privacy may be infringed by revealing to a wider
audience private information about them e.g. details of their sex
life or family life, regardless of whether or not they are filmed.
This can occur when they don’t know they are being filmed
therefor they say stuff which in any other case they would not
talk about in front of the camera.
9. PAYMENTS
• Do not make payments to sources or
contributors without reference to and
the approval of the broadcaster. This
does not include modest out-of-
pocket expenses e.g. to cover meals
• You must seek and taxi fares, which are unlikely to
advice from the be problematic.
programme lawyer
before making or
promising to make
any payment to a
convicted or
confessed criminal.
10. DEALING WITH CONTRIBUTORS
• If advertising for contributors, the wording of adverts should be
approved by the commissioning editor and programme lawyer.
• Contributors should take part in programmes on the basis of
their informed consent.
• To give consent it is acceptable in letter form or on camera is
normally accepted too,
• Any 'set-ups' or use of deception must be justified by the public
interest and this must always be agreed in advance by the
broadcaster, unless it is intended to seek consent of those
filmed before broadcast.
11. PEOPLE UNDER 18
• Due care must be taken with regard to the physical and
emotional welfare and the dignity of people under 18 years who
are involved in programmes. Further, unnecessary distress or
anxiety must not be caused.
• Parents consent tis vital when the child is under 16, unless they
only make a small contribution towards the programme or it is
not controversial Similar considerations must be had with regard
to 'vulnerable adults' i.e. those unable to give informed consent
e.g. because of mental disorder .
12. FAIRNESS & PRIVACY
• Privacy is very important in the media world. Making false
accusations can cause a lot of problems and can lead to a court
case. If the programme you are making involves criticising or
making any damaging allegation about any living individual or
organisation, seek advice from your programme lawyer.
• You have to try and avoid anything that is unfair to any
individuals which may harm their privacy.
14. IMPARTIALITY
• Programmes dealing with matters of political or industrial
controversy or matters relating to current public policy should be
duly impartial.
15. POTENTIALLY OFFENSIVE MATERIAL
• Material with the potential to 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.
16. 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.
17. AILEEN WURNOUS
• When collecting information about Aileen the
producers would have had to make sure the
information is correct. They would of have to
make sure all the encounters where true
weather he was interviewing her friends, family
or the police. Although they did film Aileen with
out her knowing, they had to get her approval
afterwards in order for it to be aired.
No one was paid in this documentary as the
presenter was only asking for their option and
everyone wanted to get their point across.
The interviews with Aileen were not edited, although
the producers did arrange it before.
As everyone knows Aileen was not under 18, but in
her mental state, filming was not allowed unless she
agreed to it, and even if so filming would have to
stop if this is what she wanted.
18. The producers was not bias, he only
interviewed people if they agreed to
it. He didn’t put his point across, he
sat there and listened to what they
had to say.
The presenter was very
impartial, he was showing us both
sides of the story, although as a
viewer we could still see what his
opinion was.
In the documentary Aileen does
swear a lot and her violence is
described to us, I believe this is
necessary though in order for us to
understand exactly what Aileen is
like. As this is also a documentary
about a serial killer it is expected of
her.
