Legal and Ethical
Who regulates Radio in the UK?
The regulation company that regulates radios in the UK are Ofcom, who regulate radios to ensure they are following their codes and conventions to make sure their audience are protected.
The Ofcom broadcasting code covers all programmes broadcasted on or after 23:00
Ofcom broadcasting codes for radio
The legislative background to the code- Ofcom is required to draw up a code for television and radio since they are under the Communications Act of 2003, along with the Broadcasting Act 1996. This includes covering standards in programmes, sponsorships, product placement in television programmes, fairness and privacy.
How to use the code
The code is set out in different sections along with having different meanings and rules for the sections. For example, Section seven is known as (Fairness) and Section eight (Privacy), also includes sets that broadcasters have to follow.
Broadcasting Code Section by Section
Section one: Protecting the under-eighteens
Radio stations have to consider the times when people under the age of 18 are listening to their radio station, such as at breakfast, school runs or other times. In order for the producers of the radio station to avoid any reports, they plan out what information is going to be read and spoken out to their audience. The information that would be read out, would be information that will not mentally make someone's child feel uncomfortable, and should only read out information that is appropriate at the time.
What should be avoided?
- The coverage of sexual and other offences in the UK involving under-eighteens
- Drugs, Smoking, and Alcohol
- Violence and dangerous behaviour
- Offensive Language
- Sexual material
Section two: Harm and offence
Principles- To ensure that main standards are applied to the content of radio services to provide protection for members of the public from services of harmful or offensive materials.
Examples of Harm and Offence
- Violence, dangerous behaviour and suicide
- Exorcism, the occult and the paranormal
- Broadcast competitions and voting
- Hypnotic and other techniques
Section three: Crime, disorder, hatred and abuse
Principles- To ensure that materials likely to encourage or influence the commission of crime or to lead to disorder, is not included in radio services.
Portrayals of crime and criminal proceedings
- Descriptions or demonstrations of criminal techniques.
- No payment, promise to pay, or payment in kind, may be convicted or confessed criminals wether directly or indirectly for a programme contribution by the criminal relating to their crimes.
- While criminal proceedings are active, no payment or promise of payment may be made.
Section Four: Religion
Principles- To ensure that broadcasters are cautious of maintaining respect and are responsible with the type of content that is mentioned based on behalf of that religion.
What Rules Must Be Followed?
- Broadcasters must hold responsibility with respecting what type of religious content is shared to the public. This will be done by avoiding any kind of conversation about religion as this is not an important topic for us.
- Broadcasters cannot promote religious views or beliefs on behalf of that religion in topic. The only thing we plan to promote on our podcast will be music related as we always need to stay on topic.
- Religious broadcasters must not improperly influence or cause potential harm to their audience from unethical rules created by their religious followers.
Section Five: Due Impartiality and Due Accuracy
Principles- To ensure that any kind of news is reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality.
What Rules Must Be Followed?
- Significant mistakes In news should be caught out and quickly corrected on air. (This can include offensive language caused by public disruption, or any scenes that are disturbing or threatening). Luckily our Podcast will be edited so anything that needs cutting or editing can be done with the relevant tools.
- Programmes such as The BBC must avoid all expressions and views of a person sharing their views and matters of political and industrial controversies. This also applies to radio, national digital sound programmes and all BBC radio services.
- Views and facts must not be misrepresented.
Section Six: Elections and referendums
Principles- To ensure that there is equal treatment and other legislation relating to broadcasting on elections and referendums.
What Rules Must Be Followed
- Broadcasters must not publish the results of any opinions they have on the polls during polling day, until the election is over. Our podcast will not share any politic views, any mention of politics will be cut from the final version.
