Regulations

 1) What is regulation and why do media industries need to be regulated?   

Regulation refers to the establishment and enforcement of rules and standards by a governing body or authority in order to guide, control, or manage specific activities or industries. In the context of media industries, regulation is implemented to ensure that these industries operate in a manner that aligns with broader societal interests and values.

2) What is OFCOM responsible for?

OFCOM, the office of communications is the regulator for the communications services in the United Kingdom. It was established by the UK parliament to oversee various aspects of the communications industry, including telecommunications,broadcasting,and the use of the radio spectrum. 

3) Look at the section on the OFCOM broadcasting code. Which do you think are the three most important sections of the broadcasting code and why?

 Protecting under-18, Crime and Privacy. Protecting under-eighteen because the young audience should be protected from anything that could harm their innocence. Crime because a lot of people sometimes become influenced by the media, and Privacy because everyone has a right to have their business out of the media.

4) Do you agree with OFCOM that Channel 4 was wrong to broadcast 'Wolverine' at 6.55pm on a Sunday evening? Why?

Yes because if Channel 4 previously had been putting on child friendly films at a time where most kids would be winding down by watching a film before going to bed then it would be unfair for them to replace that with a graphic film their parents may not allow them to watch.

5) List five of the sections in the old Press Complaints Commission's Code of Practice. 

 Accuracy

Opportunity to reply

Privacy

Harassment

Children.

6) Why was the Press Complaints Commission criticised?

The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) was a regulatory body in the United Kingdom responsible for handling complaints about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines. It operated from 1991 to 2014 and was criticized for several reasons, which ultimately led to its dissolution and replacement by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Some of the key criticisms of the Press Complaints Commission include limited accessibility, lack of independence etc. 

7) What was the Leveson enquiry and why was it set up?

The Leveson Inquiry, formally known as the Leveson Inquiry into the Culture, Practices, and Ethics of the Press, was a public inquiry in the United Kingdom led by Lord Justice Sir Brian Leveson. The inquiry was initiated in 2011 in the aftermath of the News International phone hacking scandal, which involved illegal interception of voicemail messages by journalists at the News of the World newspaper. It was set up to help him with his enquiry.

8) What was the PCC replaced with in 2014?

In 2014, the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) was replaced by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). IPSO was established as a new, independent regulatory body for the press in the United Kingdom.

9) What is your opinion on press regulation? Is a free press an important part of living in a democracy or should newspapers face statutory regulation like TV and radio?

I think that newspapers should be regulated like TV and radio so that the audience's privacy won't be harmed since newspapers are kind of known for doing anything to get a story.

10) Why is the internet so difficult to regulate?

The internet presents unique challenges for regulation due to its global nature, decentralized structure, rapid evolution, and the sheer volume of content and users.