TASK 1

GLOSSARY • Bias is an inclination to present or hold a partial perspective at the expense of

(possibly equally valid) alternatives. Bias can come in many forms.

• Accuracy the condition or quality of being true, correct, or exact; freedom from error or defect; precision or exactness; correctness.

• Balance- a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount, etc.

• Impartial is where its not prejudiced towards or against any particular side or party; fair; unbiased

• Objective - something that one's efforts or actions are intended to attain or accomplish; purpose; goal; target: the objective of a military attack; the objective of a fund-raising drive.

• Subjectivity- existing in the mind; belonging to the thinking subject rather than to the object of thought ( opposed to objective).

• Opinion- a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.

• Representation-action or speech on behalf of a person, group, business house, state, or the like by an agent, deputy, or representative.

• Access – e.g. Having the access to the people you want to interview

• Privacy - . the state of being free from intrusion or disturbance in one's private life or affairs: the right to privacy.

DIFFICULTY ON GETTING INTERVIEWS.

• You have to find someone who is willing to answer your questions.

• Finding people with different opinions is important unless you want to be bias.

• If the people you interview are more interesting, more people will want to watch/ read your interview.

DIFFICULTY FOR PRODUCERS• Producers need to make sure they follow all the strict rule in order to get their programme broadcasted

onto the television.

Including:

Truth & Accuracy

Reconstructions

Secret Filming

Payments

Dealing with Contributors

People Under 18

Fairness & Privacy

Criminality

Impartiality

Potentially Offensive Material

Commercial References

TRUTH & ACCURACY

• Producers have to be accurate with the information they give to the viewers. Viewers are entitled to expect that programmes are accurate and true and the audience must not be misled.

• This includes a rein action with actors of when an event that took place.

• The programme cannot miss lead viewers in thinking something false. The programme or document must not give false statements or facts.

RECONSTRUCTIONS

• All reconstructions must be fair and accurate.

• The viewers cannot be misled, reconstructions should be labelled in order to not cause confusion.

• Where there is risk of causing distress by reconstructing actual events, appropriate parties should be informed.

• When the reconstructions are only actors they must make this clear to the viewers.

SECRET FILMING

• No one can be filmed secretly for a programme unless approved by the broadcaster in advanced.

• An individual's privacy may be infringed by revealing to a wider audience private information about them e.g. details of their sex life or family life, regardless of whether or not they are filmed. This can occur when they don’t know they are being filmed therefor they say stuff which in any other case they would not talk about in front of the camera.

PAYMENTS

• Do not make payments to sources or contributors without reference to and the approval of the broadcaster. This does not include modest out-of-pocket expenses e.g. to cover meals and taxi fares, which are unlikely to be problematic.

• You must seek advice from the programme lawyer before making or promising to make any payment to a convicted or confessed criminal.

DEALING WITH CONTRIBUTORS

• If advertising for contributors, the wording of adverts should be approved by the commissioning editor and programme lawyer.

• Contributors should take part in programmes on the basis of their informed consent.

• To give consent it is acceptable in letter form or on camera is normally accepted too,

• Any 'set-ups' or use of deception must be justified by the public interest and this must always be agreed in advance by the broadcaster, unless it is intended to seek consent of those filmed before broadcast.

PEOPLE UNDER 18

• Due care must be taken with regard to the physical and emotional welfare and the dignity of people under 18 years who are involved in programmes. Further, unnecessary distress or anxiety must not be caused.

• Parents consent tis vital when the child is under 16, unless they only make a small contribution towards the programme or it is not controversial Similar considerations must be had with regard to 'vulnerable adults' i.e. those unable to give informed consent e.g. because of mental disorder.

FAIRNESS & PRIVACY

• Privacy is very important in the media world. Making false accusations can cause a lot of problems and can lead to a court case. If the programme you are making involves criticising or making any damaging allegation about any living individual or organisation, seek advice from your programme lawyer.

• You have to try and avoid anything that is unfair to any individuals which may harm their privacy.

CRIMINALITY

• Programmes involving criminals or about criminality require special care and are likely to be legally contentious.

IMPARTIALITY

• Programmes dealing with matters of political or industrial controversy or matters relating to current public policy should be duly impartial.

POTENTIALLY OFFENSIVE MATERIAL

• Material with the potential to cause offence e.g. strong language, violence, sexual violence, explicit sexual portrayal etc. must always be justifiable by the context. Advice should be sought fromthe legal & compliance department at an early stage.

COMMERCIAL REFERENCES

• Programmes should not give undue prominence to commercial products or services.

• Product placement is prohibited.

• Where programmes contain viewer competitions and/or premium rate telephone lines for viewers to call, seek advice from the programme lawyer.

AILEEN WURNOUS • When collecting information about Aileen the

producers would have had to make sure the information is correct. They would of have to make sure all the encounters where true weather he was interviewing her friends, family or the police. Although they did film Aileen with out her knowing, they had to get her approval afterwards in order for it to be aired.

No one was paid in this documentary as the presenter was only asking for their option and everyone wanted to get their point across.

The interviews with Aileen were not edited, although the producers did arrange it before.

As everyone knows Aileen was not under 18, but in her mental state, filming was not allowed unless she agreed to it, and even if so filming would have to stop if this is what she wanted.

The producers was not bias, he only interviewed people if they agreed to it. He didn’t put his point across, he sat there and listened to what they had to say.

The presenter was very impartial, he was showing us both sides of the story, although as a viewer we could still see what his opinion was.

In the documentary Aileen does swear a lot and her violence is described to us, I believe this is necessary though in order for us to understand exactly what Aileen is like. As this is also a documentary about a serial killer it is expected of her.