Define what is meant by Legal, moral and ethical issues in media products:
The media aspect:
legal issues are regulation that need to be taken into consideration when creating any piece of media products and in our case idents. Here are some examples of the regulations:
- Freedom of information act
- Intellectual property act
- Data protection act
- Copyright, designs and Patents act 1988
Moral issues are the different perspective of views whether something is morally right or wrong. Ethical issues are about doing the most accurate, right and moral thing regardless.
Ethical issues are prevented by checking if the content is appropriate or not offensive to viewers discretion.
Some initial issues involved with my ident:
During my first ident, I will need to be wary of the people around in public seen as we will be filming in the park. if I get someone's face whilst filming and proceed to publish it that's me breaking the law called GDPR and privacy act. This also protects us and the public, although I need to ensure I take precaution. It would also be morally incorrect catching people's private life on camera especially when idents get published on tv.
Within my ident, one of the issues I need to worry about are noise complaints which is under statutory nuisance. This is because my second ident will be filmed in my house, and we will be using the house speakers to listen to music and get into the "birthday vibe". This may cause major issues because the neighbours may call the police if they wish too and if it is continuous, then action may be taken place against us which is not worth the time and effort when we only need to film a 30 second ident.
Another issue that may be a cause of concern is Copyright, design and Patents act 1988. This is where we may create our own pieces such as music to be added behind the scenes where we put the speakers on getting in the birthday mood. This will cause issues because we have taken time and effort to create our own piece of music to also be more unique and having someone take it and take credit for it is will not be appropriate or morally right.
who is responsible for regulating television idents and how do they do this?
Ofcom. Ofcom is an office in the Uk that looks over the broadcasting, televisions and postal industries. they look into anything that's broadcasted and they check to see if it is appropriate and suitable whilst following the rules and regulations.
For example, AG news programme which broadcast claims that the Covid-19 vaccination programme accounted to "mass murder "has been found to have broken Ofcom rules. What this means is there was either false accusations or something was lead with false information as it has broken the Ofcom rules. Ofcom had received 422 complaints about the comments and now has led to asking great Britan to attend a meeting. This goes to show how much Ofcom is willing to go to ensure that everything is morally and legally correct and accurate.
There are aspects that can impact my idents when referring to Ofcom. these are:
- Protecting the under eighteens
- harm and offensive
- privacy
Legal, Ethics and Moral analysis:
Constraints | Summarize the constraints. | Weakness- How might your work be an issue. | Action points- skills, logistics, changes to idea |
Ofcom code of practice: Protecting the under eighteens guidance | This code tells us that anything that is related or may be used within violence should not be seen as the generation should not normalize such horrific things and get used to seeing weapons from a young age. | In my second ident will have an underage little girl cutting her birthday cake with a knife. This code states “the use of accessible domestic implements, such as knives, or other offensive weapons, articles or substances portrayed in a dangerous or harmful manner”. | During the ident, I'd adjust on the spot and scene to having an older person cut the cake or even better have the cake precut so it would be filmed putting the different slides onto the plates. |
Ofcom code of practice: Harm and offense | This rule reflects a continued concern about the impact of real or portrayed suicide, and self-harm, on those whose minds may be disturbed. Whilst it is always difficult to prove causality, various studies have shown that there may be a short-lived increase in particular methods of suicide portrayed on television. | In my second ident as stated many times before, there will be a knife in order to cut the cake. We have discussed that it has the wrong impression on younger kids but in this circumstance, we have the aspect of triggering things that people do not want to have at the surface. Due to past trauma such as self-harm or suicide attempts or even depression. | In order to prevent this from offending or triggering an audience, we can alternate the situation to having it censored or just not used whilst recording but have the cake already sliced up. |
Ofcom codes of practice: privacy | This code refers to the privacy of people and certain topics and subjects. I will need to take this into consideration when I am filming my idents. | My first ident will be filmed in Chadwell Heath academy school park, this is a public area therefore, it will be a mission to ensure that I do not get people's faces whilst recording my content. | Ensure that the area I'm filming in is as reserved as it can. possibly be.
Record at a different location. |
Copyright | Copyright gives you a set of regulations/rules that helps prevent others from using your property or doing things you may not like. | If I create background sounds or music for my scenes in either ident, then I have a right to make sure people cannot take my content. | Ensure that the public knows that it is my own content by putting the copyright sign which is a c within a circle. |
Royalties | Royalties are payments made to the owner of intellectual property for the use of that property. For example, with music, having to pay Billie Eilish when using her music at the end of barbie. | I may use music over the speakers during my second ident due to copyright in which if i do use an artist id need permission or will have to pay a certain amount. | I will have to source the music from a copyrighted free source in order to ensure that I don't have to face any consequences when releasing my ident. |
Misrepresentation | Is something that doesn't give the correct information or idea, for example my idents. | During my first ident, audiences can misinterpret it as a trailer instead of an ident. | To ensure that this does not happen, I will adjust certain scenes to help the audience recognise that it is an ident or even put voice over in the background. |
