Radio Industry - Ethical and Legal Constraints (Article)

Legal constraints are legal laws that control the media sector and it's extremely important that you follow these laws or you could be fined and investigated by the police. Legal Constraints are laws that absolutely have to be followed and took into consideration or you can have some harsh consequences.

Ethical Constraints aren't necessary things that you could get arrested for but they are just as important. These constraints mean that you are working within accepted norms of society and you have to behave what is considered in the right way without offending anyone. This is covered by self regulating industry codes and it's up to the producer of whatever media production you're doing to make a proper judgment call.

 

 The laws regarding Legal Constraints are listed below with descriptions and examples of what it's all about.

When talking about restrictions in Radio, the presenters of the show must refrain themselves from saying anything that may be offensive. This of course depends on the show, if it is in the daytime then it is more likely for younger listeners to be in the audience, however later at night when listeners are more adult-based they may be allowed to use language more loosely.

 

 

 

 

 

This is also in concern to the music the radio stations will play. Some songs will have offensive terms and/or strong language in certain parts, meaning they must be bleeped out or replaced with a clean version or in extreme cases not played at all.

 

Starting next year, the new age requirements will be 18+ to attend Ultra Music Festival. An official announcement hasn’t been made yet, but recent flyers have advertised presale tickets with the new restrictions. The text next to the 18+ stamp reads: “The safety and security of our attendees, artists/performers, and personnel are our utmost priority and concern.”

 

Pirate radio can also link into this with freely using explicit language and revolving around a crude and/or sexual nature. Furthering the point made before about Ultra, many music festivals also have age restrictions due to general safety issues or in regards to the artists performing.

 

Another case in point being individuals can sue for damage to their reputation caused by material broadcast by a third party – you, the reporter or news reader, are that third party. They can sue you or the company you work for, and If you lose the case, the organisation you work for will incur a big fine. Contempt of court is area of law designed to balance the right to a fair trial with freedom of speech. It is to prevent journalists from publishing/broadcasting things which will get in the way of a fair justice system.

 

If you are found guilty of contempt of court you’re looking at a big fine and possibly prison – though this is unlikely.

 

 

 

The privacy law also applies to radio production, when interviewing people the producers must keep professional and if they are interested in the celebrity they are interviewing they must remain professional and not make them uncomfortable. The same goes for radio journalists, meaning that they must not take pictures of acts in dressing rooms or backstage corridor, at least without their permission. The same in regards to asking for autographs.

 

This act permitted for the launch of three Independent National Radio Stations, two of them on medium wave using frequencies formally used by the BBC, and the other on FM using frequencies formerly used by the emergency services. This began ideas for several additional local and regional commercial radio stations, using parts of the FM band which was not beforehand used for broadcasting. The plans for increasing community radio were only established in the 2000's. In the Parliament it produced a series of opposition from the majority of the Labour Party and a few members from the Conservative Party who thought this was illustrative of a decline in standards.

 

The Official Secrets Act 1989 is a legislation that helps guarantee the defence of state secrets and official information, mainly related to national security. This doesn't have a major result on television and radio but if you chat about stuff that you are under severe orders not to converse then police could be brought in to examine.