2. Difficulty of getting interviews
Getting interviews on certain subjects can be difficult as some people may
not want to talk about certain subjects as it may trigger emotional drama for
them. For example people related to those who died in 9/11 attacks may not
want to talk about it.
Getting interviews with important figures can be just as difficult if not more
due to the fact they may have a busy schedule and may not be capable of
fitting an interview with them.
3. Biased opinion on subject matter
Interviews with some people can be biased to one side depending on who
the interview is with for example if you were to ask a army soldier about the
subject of footballers wages compared to soldiers then they would have a
biased opinion on the matter.
Biased opinions can occur when asking someone who has a strong view on a
certain subject and are willing to speak up for the views and defend what
they believe. Biased opinions are when someone has a strong view over
4. Ofcom rules and regulations
- To protect people under 18 from potential harmful and offensive
material.
- Any programmes unsuitable for children will not be shown till after
9:00pm and after 5:30am.
- The audience should expect to see warnings before a programme starts if
it contains harmful or offensive material.
- Programmes should not glamorise violence, dangerous or anti-social
behaviour.
- Programmes must be true and accurate, to ensure no viewers have been
mislead.
- Nothing to stir up any racial hatred should be transmitted. This can be
discriminatory treatment or language based on age, gender, race,
disability, religion, beliefs and sexuality.
- Programmes with exorcism, the occult and the paranormal require care
handling.
5. Factual Programming
Truth and Accuracy
- Programme must be true and accurate. Must not mislead any viewers in
the audience.
- Viewers are entitled to expect the above in their programme.
- Must respect truth and accuracy.
6. Reconstructions
- All reconstructions must be true and accurate.
- If viewers are mislead then reconstructions must be labelled to avoid
confusion.
- If there is a risk of distress being caused by reconstructing actual events
then appropriate parties should be informed.
7. Secret Filming
- People should not be secretly filmed as their inclusion is needed to be in a
programme in less confirmed and approved by broadcaster in advance.
- Before any secret filming takes place it must follow detailed guidelines
before taking place.
- In the documentary we watched called ‘’Aileen; life and death of a serial
killer’’ some secret filming took place of Aileen when she believed that
the cameras were off but were not and they ended up filming her
admitting to the crimes that she had complete.
8. Payments
- Do not make any payments to any sources or contributors until approval
from the producer.
- - Advice must be gained from programme lawyer before any payments
are made to any convicted criminals or confessed criminals.
- - You must not make any or promise any payments to the defendant or
witness involved in any legal proceedings without any advice and consent
from the commissioning editor and the programme lawyer.
9. Dealing with contributors
- If advertising for the contributors then all wording for adverts have to be
approved by the commissioning editor and programme lawyer.
- Contributors should take part in the programmes based on their informed
consent.
- Consent would normally be in the form of signed release form but
consent on camera can be allowed.
- Any conditions placed on interviews must be approved and agreed with
by commissioning editor and programme lawyer. Producers cannot
provide previews of programmes without the consent of commissioning
editor.
- Interviews must be fairly edited.
10. People under 18
- Care must be taken when holding the physical and emotional welfare of
under 18
- Parental consent is required for people under 16 who are appearing in the
programme unless they’re role is minor and uncontroversial.
- Similar considerations are used for vulnerable adults who can not give
informed consent due to a mental disorder.
11. Fairness and Privacy
- We must avoid the unfair treatment of individuals and organisations.
- If your programme involves the criticising of any living individual or
organisation then seek advice from programme lawyer.
- Any significant infringement of privacy of an individual or organisation, in
the making or broadcast must be warranted by the public interest.
12. Potentially offensive material
- Material with the potentially to cause offence e.g. strong language must
always be justifiable the context. At an early stage advice should have
been given from the legal and compliance department.
- An on-air warning will be given to viewers where appropriate by the
commissioning editor.
13. Commercial reference
- Programmes should not give undue prominence to commercial products
or services.
- Product placement is prohibited.
- Seek advice from programme lawyer if programmes contain viewer
competition and/or premium rate phone calls for viewers.
- Sponsored programmes must not have any promotional reference to the
sponsor, its activities, its products or its services within the programme.
- Adverts or clips from advertisements that are then used in the
programme will require strong editorial justification. This will require
advice from the programme lawyer.