Regulatory Bodies - Ofcom

 

Ofcom are the regulator for communication services. They make sure that people get the best from their broadband, home phone and mobile services, and monitor TV and Radio. 

Ofcom issues licenses to cover aircraft, ground-air communications and radio navigations and radar. 

Ofcom licenses all UK commercial television and radio services in the UK. Broadcasters must comply by the terms of their licence, or risk having it revoked. Ofcom also publishes the Broadcasting Code, a series of rules which broadcast all content on television and radio must follow. Ofcom's broadcasting code governs what can be aired on TV and radio. It's the rule book for TV channels and radio stations and sets standards for programmes which broadcasters have to follow.

How we will take these rules into Consideration: 

Section one: Protecting the under eighteens 

Our Radio Documentary covers sensitive topics. As this is being aimed at a family radio show, we will have to tone down some material on the show. A lot of the parts will have to be implied (such as the girl sending her pictures) and handled appropriately to the audience so it teaches them a lesson but does not scare, upset them or expose them to material that they should not know about.

The show is going to be aired on a Family channel, so a high amount of children/young people will be listening into the show. So it's accessible, the program could possibly be aired: Friday after school or sometime in a school holiday/half-term.

The Radio Programme is going to be 7 minutes or above, a short story that the age-range could sit through the whole show (as 30 minutes may just be too long) and stick with them.

The channel that our radio show is on is completely family friendly and nothing in our radio programme can be deemed as inappropriate to air to such an audience.  

Section two: Harm and offence 

Our Radio programme is going to cover sensitive topics, but will be handled sensitively so it would be appropriate to air to air to a family audience and teach them how to be safe online. 

Quoted from Section two: ' Such material may include, but is not limited to, offensive language, violence, sex, sexual violence, humiliation, distress, violation of human dignity, discriminatory treatment or language (for example on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation, and marriage and civil partnership),'

As our programme is being aired to a family audience, there will be no offensive or discriminatory language to any particular group, person, etc. However, we will be handling a topic that some listeners may find distressing so we will issue a warning at the viewers that this radio programme will cover topics that some will find distressing (but handled appropriately so it's suitable for younger audiences. 

Section three: Crime, disorder, hatred and abuse

Quoted from Section three: All forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or justify hatred based on intolerance on the grounds of disability, ethnicity, social origin , gender, sex, gender reassignment, nationality, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, colour, genetic features, language, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth or age.

Our radio programme will not have any form or expression or hate speech toward any individual. It will cover topics of hatred and abuse from other characters to the main character in the radio programme but will point out that this sort of behaviour is wrong and how you can get help in a situation like this and what to do is someone is struggling themselves.

Our radio programme is not going to condone such behaviour(hatred, abuse, crime) and will attempt to push the younger viewers in the right direction.

Section four: Religion

Our radio programme is not going to cover any topics of religion, but however we will not be r promoting any topics against a particular religious group.

Section 10: Commercial Communications on Radio

We cannot have any advertising featured on our radio programme, as it is illegal to directing advertising onto children and we are going to be broadcasted on a family channel as it should not be encouraged.