The document outlines key aspects of media regulation in the UK, focusing on industry codes of practice by Ofcom, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), and various acts regarding copyright and defamation. It highlights the importance of protecting underage viewers from unsuitable content, the role of the BBFC in film and music video classification, and the watershed time for broadcasting. Additionally, it discusses the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and the Defamation Act 2013, emphasizing the legal protections for creators and individuals against reputational damage.

1. Task 3
By Alex Pereira (Industry Codes of Practice, Watershed and The Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act (1998) & Millie West (The BBFC, Ofcom and The
Defamation Act (2013)

2. Industry Codes of Practice
The Ofcom broadcasting codes outlines the rules which programmes broadcast on television and
radio in the UK must abide by. They are put in place to control industry conduct. One part of the
broadcasting codes is to protect under 18 year olds. It states that material that might seriously impair
the physical, mental or moral development of people under 18 must not be broadcast.This prohibits
the broadcast of the most potentially harmful and offensive material at any time, for example very
explicit sexual practices, obscene material, very graphic violence.
Another part of the Ofcom broadcasting codes is to do with subliminal messages. This part of the
Code states that techniques must not be used which exploit the possibility of conveying a message to
viewers or of otherwise influencing their minds, without their being fully aware of what has occurred.
This means that if an image is deliberately included that is so quick that the average viewer would not
realise that they'd seen it, then that would be unacceptable.

3. The BBFC
The BBFC stands for ‘The British Board of Film Classification’. Introduced in 1912, with a previous
name of ‘The British Board of Film Censor’, are a UK based non- governmental company that get to
decide what age classification a film should have. This means that they tell the film’s production
company what it should be rated and what they say, goes. Not only do the BBFC put age
certifications on films in the UK, but they also age rate online music videos as well. They have the
power to rate music videos a 12, 15 or 18 but no less than that. (Pictures on the next slide)
Censoring media such as films, music videos, aids in helping to safeguard the public from
inappropriate material or content, based on age. Over time, expectations of age change, for example
what may or may not be considered inappropriate may differ over time. When expectations of age
change, so do age restrictions. As a result, this means that what may have been an 18 ten years ago,
may now be considers age 15 rated material, simply due to the change in age expectations.

4. The BBFC
The examples:
Disney Pixar's:
Monsters University
Twentieth Century
Fox Film:
Corporation
Home Alone
Warner Brother
Entertainment:
Harry Potter and
the Goblet of Fire
Paramount Pictures:
The Wolf of Wall
Street
Warner Brother
Entertainment:
Interstellar
Lions Gate:
Cabin in the Woods
Anchor Bay
Entertainment:
Asylum

5. Ofcom
OFCOM stands for Office of Communications. They are the communications regulators regarding TV programmes in the UK. They
create a set of regulations that all TV programmes must follow. For example one of these guidelines include the disallowance of
racial, ethnic or cultural remarks - coming under the protection for members of the public, and others against offensive or harmful
material in television or radio. All shows must ensure, as mentioned, that they go by Ofcom guidelines.
If Ofcom get a significant number of complaints about a particular TV programme then then there are concerns that a channel
may have breached the Ofcom guidelines. As a result, Ofcom will perform an investigation. This will be to see if the initial terms
and guidelines have been broken. Following this, if the programme has been seen to have breached their contract, then they may
be fined, or in a worse case scenario, the programme may be cancelled.
A key example of an Ofcom case, is the well known Big Brother. Every year they receive the most complaints from the public.
Originally, the show was shown on channel 4, but as the complaints came continuously rolling in each year it became too much
for the channel to handle and as a result, sold the infamous programme to channel 5.
Britain is looked highly upon for TV structure, and so it is crucial that the guidelines are tight and standards are high, so that other
countries can use our structure as a guide to aid their own.

6. Watershed
The watershed means the time when TV programmes which might be unsuitable for children can be
broadcast. The watershed begins at 9pm and material unsuitable for children should not be shown
before 9pm or after 5.30am. Some of the unsuitable material that cannot be shown is everything
from sexual content to violence, graphic or distressing imagery and swearing.
Although the watershed allows unsuitable material for children there is a limit to what can be
shown.The transition to more adult material must not be abrupt and the strongest material should
appear later in the evening. But Ofcom’s rules protect viewers from offensive and harmful content.
If broadcasters break the rules then given broadcasters can be given a fine and the content aired will
be removed. Since 2003 Ofcom has taken action on more than 300 occasions when broadcasters
have scheduled unsuitable content before or immediately after the watershed. In most of these cases
it has been inappropriate music videos.

7. Watershed
An example of a programme that is shown before the watershed is ‘The Chase’. It is a quiz show
presented by Bradley Walsh. It is shown before the watershed as it does not contain any inappropriate
content, it is an education show which is on at 5 - 6pm.
An example of a programme that is shown during the watershed is ‘Family Guy’. It is American adult
animated sitcom which has sick, twisted and politically incorrect features. It is shown during the
watershed due to its inappropriate content which is not suitable for under 18’s.
Sometimes a show that is usually shown during the watershed can be shown beforehand if the
innapropriate content is edited out. This can only be done for certain shows as shows with constant
inappropriateness cannot be done.

8. Copyright, Designs and Patents act (1988)
The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, is the current UK copyright law. It gives the creators of
literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works the right to control the ways in which their material may
be used. The rights cover: Broadcast and public performance, copying, adapting, issuing, renting and
lending copies to the public. In most cases, the creator will also have the right to be identified as the
author and to object to distortions of his work. The Copyright, Designs and Patents act is used to
ensure that people's intellectual property is protected.
One example of copyright the purge

9. The Defamation Act (2013)
The Defamation Act was introduced in 2013. Its aim is to protect individuals from their reputations being damaged by
other people or companies. Someone may be accused of act or name that could harm their reputation out of the
simplicity that it may be true, meanwhile a person could be accused of an act or a name in order for their reputation to
be damaged. If a person goes out of their way, to lie and put another person's status, role, or occupation at risk, and
they are found to be lying, then they may put themselves in the firing line for being sued, because then have tried to
harm another person’s repute.
There are 2 types of Defamation, these are Liable, and Slander. Liable is the form of defamation that includes written
and published work. For example, newspaper or magazine articles, diary entries, or blog posts. This form tends to get
accusers in much more trouble than slander does, because of the ease of proof. Slander however is much harder to
prove, unless there are many whiteness’. Slander is the act of spoken or oral accusation of a person.

10. The Defamation Act (2013)
Defamation is usually acted towards people who have a high standing status in society, for reasons mentioned before,
such as the truthfulness of the accusation, or to harm the accused’s position. For example, celebrities; not between a
friendship group. In the case of comedy, the act of defamation is considered to be okay up to a certain point, if it's for
humour.But if a comedian is seen to be constantly accusing another person, and it could be seen as potentially
damaging their status, then that would be considered defamation.
One example of a UK based defamation case, is with Katie Hopkins. She is well known for accusing others, using
derogatory names, and being offensive. One example of this is when she said “I don’t really like fat people, I wouldn’t
like to meet a ginger in the dark”. Moreover she also commented about Gemma Collins (a ‘The Only Way Is Essex’ -
reality TV star) “Well done for being that fat!” This is seen as defamation as she could and may well damage Miss.
Collins’ reputation or status.