Media regulation: blog tasks

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

 Regulators must provide a set of tough consequences for media organisations that break the rules, but they do also need to balance the interests of media producers and protect freedom of expression. It prevents young people from obtaining material that was unsuitable for them.

2) What is OFCOM responsible for?

OFCOM is responsible for granting licences to TV and Radio stations and it is illegal to broadcast TV or Radio signals without a licence from OFCOM.

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 1: Protecting the Under-Eighteens

Section 2: Harm and Offence

Section 8: Privacy

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

I do agree because many children sleep later than 6:55pm on a school night, therefore it is unsuitable for many children to come across a show like that.

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.

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?

Free press is important to an extent. Although they should be able to speak on everything, language should be monitored and anything that can cause extreme offence shouldn't be allowed in the public eye.

10) Why is the internet so difficult to regulate?

Everyone has their own thoughts and opinions and the idea of freedom of speech means that many things that should be regulated isn't; this makes it extremely difficult to regulate the internet.