Two of Ofcom’s Important Codes of Conduct to me as a Journalist

OFCOM are the broadcast regulators for TV and Radio. However, parts of their code of conduct are crucial in other fields of journalism. For instance, the written forum.  The two most important sections of the code for journalists are Section 5 (Due impartiality and due  accuracy) and Section 7 (fairness).

All of section five is important for a journalist as each part of the section focuses on making news that is correct and that isn’t biased. This section also is extremely important as it reinforces the ethical and moral guidelines of a credible and truthful journalist. The points below highlight key rules.

Some important parts identified in this section of the code

• This helps to ensure that news, in whatever platform, is reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality. (due – not favouring one side over another)
• If significant mistakes are made in news it should normally be acknowledged and corrected on air or through the right means.
• Any personal interest of a reporter or presenter, which call into question the due impartiality of the news/information, must be made clear to the audience.

The other import section is 7 which focuses on fairness. It talks about fairness to all people within organisations and those who are participating in a program. To sum up the section it helps the journalist to sustain a high credible, trustworthy and reliable profile. This helps the public to trust what your saying and helps to uphold your professionalism. The points below highlight key rules.

Some important parts identified in this section of the code

• This ensures that broadcasters avoid unjust or unfair treatments of an individual or organisation in a program.
• it may be fair to withhold all or some of the information where it is justified in the public’s interest or under other sections.

Reflection on Interviewing Camera Framing

When filming an interview it is incredibly important to consider the rule of thirds. The subject should be on one of the third lines. and the eye level should sit around the third line. This gives allowances for looking space and head room. Interviews can look awkward if the subject is placed central.

In the image below it shows how a camera should be set up for a interview

This is a good example to some extent however, if I was to reframe this shot I would allow more head room above the subjects head. Saying that I still think this would work. Where the looking room is, is the direction I would ask to guy to turn slightly and speak towards. This would allow the subject to talk across the shot and not out of shot. Titles could be used in the negative space to add more details.

 

Covering Sex Offences

Anonymity

The victim is automatically given lifelong anonymity by the court under the Sexual Offence Amendment Act 1992 to save embarrassment and trauma

Under Section one of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act 1992 after an allegation has been made it is illegal to include, in any publication, any matter which is likely to lead members of the public to identify, during his or her, lifetime, the person who is the victim/alleged victim of that offence.

The ban includes:

• The name
• The address
• The identity of any school or other educational establishment attended by them
• Any still or moving picture of him or her

The order starts from the moment an allegation is made by the alleged victim or anyone else, even if no one is charged and it is automatic.

It remains even if the allegation is later withdrawn, where the police are told, whether the offender is prosecuted and whether anyone is convicted.

Anonymity applies to the target of an attempt to conspiracy to commit a sex act.

You have to be cause about Jigsaw identification – public putting information together and figuring out who it is referring to.

If the victim is not related to the defendant then you can print about the defendant without having to be too careful, however, in the case we saw the victim shared their surname with the defendant so you would have to be careful about what to print e.g. you could not put that it was their stepdaughter as this might lead to identification of the victim.

Jigsaw Identification

Section on bans publication of any matter that is like to lead to identification

For example, if the victim attends a large school, you could name the school as people won’t be able to identify the person, you would have to be careful about giving further information e.g. 14 year old who plays the violin – this could lead to identification as there might not be many 14 year old violinists at the school

You need to check the information that other publications are printing, if all publications give different bits of information about the victim – all publications would be in breach of the Act if this happened.

If the case is within a family then the publications should agree beforehand about printing the name and omit the relationship or not identify the adult defender and describe the abuse.

Media organisations can be fined for inadvertently publishing material which breaches the act.

In some circumstances the other can be lifted or varied to enable the media to report a case:

Only four ways you can identify a victim of a sex attack:

1. If they die
2. If they have signed a waiver to lift their anonymity
3. If they have lied and made a false allegation
4. If they are convicted of a crime and use the fact they were a victim of a sex offence as mitigation

Challenging Court Orders

You can challenge all order imposed by the court except in sex cases because victims of sexual offences have automatic anonymity.

As a journalist it is important for me to know the laws, this will help me from been sued, fined and will help to keep my reputation in tacked. I want to be a trustworthy, truthful and follow the guidelines. If I was to go into court journalism these are key as, you can ask for the anonymity to be lifted, if it is the public’s interest.