Issues in Factual Television

Accuracy

In regards to factual television, accuracy is the degree to which the facts within the program are correct. This is something that should be and is expected from audiences when watching. The BBC is an example of facts being presented accurately in their programming, they even say themselves that “The BBC is committed to achieving due accuracy”. The way to achieve due accuracy is dependent on the situational factors; a controversial subject will need to have the relevant opinions and facts about it considered for its presentation.

For the producer, the effect of accuracy may change the style of the program, or how much research is needed. Something like the news will need its facts to come either directly from information gathered by the news team, or first hand from the sources. Though it may bring complications in the ease of the making, it may lead to making the facts more reliable and trustworthy.

For the audience, good accuracy in the program can lead to viewer trust, whereby viewers are not misled or deceived. Events will often not be able to be extensively analysed or presented due to time constraints, so they will unavoidably be edited down to their core but, as Channel 4 say, “this must not be at the expense of distorting reality or misleading viewers”.

An example of this is Channel 4 News. The format is relied on by its audience to be factually correct and have due accuracy. Channel 4 states that “the truth must not be sacrificed for the sake of a more entertaining programme if this means cheating the viewer”.

Balance

Balance within factual programming is when information is presented equitably, whereby the components of either side of a discussion are presented in a fair way. To be balanced, you must also be impartial.

For producers, achieving balance means they have to present the facts of an argument (like a political debate) evenly. This is so the program does not become partial to one side of a topic, and so it does not consequently sway a viewer’s opinion, or completely conflict with them.

For audiences, an even balance in the program means that viewers will not lose interest. This links to the impartiality of factual programming.

An example balance in factual programming is in BBC News. This is because they will often have to present a subject with more than one side, in this case it will be crucial that they present all (or an even number of) the facts for each argument. This is, as aforementioned, to avoid bias.

Impartiality

Impartiality is when neither side of a story or discussion is taken and the state of remaining neutral. In factual TV, this is to avoid bias and controversy with the audience. Impartiality is what creates the balancing in programming.

For producers, impartiality is achieved through giving the ‘due’ weight to any given side – In their editorial guidelines section of their website, the BBC claim that they achieve impartiality by not necessarily giving equal weight to a minority view on a topic, if the opposing side is more of a consensus. However, they also say that any impartiality can be jeopardised if a pivotal or outstanding perspective is excluded.

For audiences, impartiality in factual TV provides a sense of subjective freedom. By which I mean that it gives the viewer a lot more room to form their own opinion. This will also make the programme more reliable as it sways to neither side of an argument, so it is objective.

Louis Theroux’s documentaries are a good example of impartiality in factual television. Though he is an on-screen interviewer who experiences what is broadcasted first-hand, he puts no bias on how he is presented and attempts and succeeds to be solely objective.

Objectivity

Relative to factual programming, objectivity is when what is being presented has no influence from someone’s personal view or from opinions. To be objective you must be both unbiased and impartial.

Producers make their programmes objective by discussing a subject enough that all the facts are heard without a bias or weighing in on the matter with their perspective; this allows the topic to be left open-minded.

Audiences are able to form their own opinion on a subject purely from the facts rather than on the back of someone else’s opinion.

Subjectivity

Contrasting with objectivity, subjectivity is purely a judgement made with the influence of opinions.

Producers avoid subjectivity almost completely in programmes like the news, as otherwise the broadcast will be biased. However, some factual Medias use subjectivity, often if it is to follow the personal thoughts and feelings of an individual (somewhat like a case study).

The effect for audiences is that they are able to witness the personal experiences a person would have pertaining to whatever the particular subject matter is on. If the news was subjective, viewers would have far less freedom to form their own judgements on something; and just be listening to someone else’s.

An example of a subjective documentary is Supersize Me (2004), wherein we see Morgan Spurlock’s personal exploration into the negative consequences of a month long diet of only McDonald’s. The effect of this being subjective is that we are able to empathise with him and learn from what he does within the documentary

Opinion

Opinions are the judgements made based on an individual’s view of something rather than being impartial on a subject.

Producers must ensure that broadcasts and reports are not tied up in opinion this is so that audiences make their own judgements on things based purely on the facts.

Again, Louis Theroux’s documentaries are a prime example of an unopinionated factual programme, allowing viewers to base their opinions on what they are shown.

Bias

Bias is when an argument, opinion or discussion is one-sided in its presentation.

It is pivotal that producers do not make their reports biased as viewers may be offended, so factual programmes must stick to correct information and do not say anything that is partial to a side of an argument.

For audiences, it is crucial that what they view is unbiased. A passive audience is one that makes opinions according to what they see, so if there is bias in the programming, then they will form a biased opinion.

As well as being a good example of subjectivity, Supersize Me (2004) is a perfect example of a biased argument. The entire documentary is an argument against McDonald’s and how it negatively effects our health.

Representation

Representation is the way in which something is shown or portrayed.

Factual Television must stem away from making misrepresentations or stereotypes as it can offend viewers. Producers have been known for making stereotypes, a good example being that teenagers or ‘Hoodies’ are dangerous or troublemakers.

The effect this has on audiences is that it can be offensive or cause them problems. Take the ‘Hoodies’ example, teenagers who do wear hooded clothes may find that they are treated differently as audiences form biased opinions because of the media.

Not all representations have a negative impact, this is as some programmes use representations to help a minority group so the audience gives them sympathy.

Access

In factual TV, access refers to how the documentarians (for example) can use certain things through them acquiring permission.

For producers, this means they have to make sure they have permission to use information or materials so they are not liable for a lawsuit.

For audiences, this is important because it makes the programme safe and reliable, this is as producers choose to access the most reliable sources of information.

Privacy

Privacy is the extent to which information is withheld from being shown if it is too personal, and it is a person’s right to keep something to themselves or share it.

For producers, privacy can be an issue as media has freedom of expression (and it can be argued that they can report anything so long as it is of interest to the audience), but people also have the right to remain out of public attention. So, it can be difficult to not occasional breach of someone’s privacy.

For audiences, this is important as some individuals may see someone portrayed in a certain way and send abuse, so this person will have their face blurred or their voice altered. It is also important so that information shared is fair in its presentation.

An example would be TV News, when an individual wants their identity to remain a secret when sharing details and their anonymity is kept through face-blurring or voice alterations.

Contract with viewer

This is the unwritten rule wherein producers make a pact to supply the audience with accurate, interesting and precise information about whatever they said the program was going to be about.

An example being a documentary about sexism in the UK must have information about sexism in the UK.

Legal and Ethical considerations

·       Filming in public places – You must have permission from the local authorities as they own most of the land you will use. You will need the full co-operation with the police if you are planning to use anything that could pose a threat to the public (e.g. firearms, explosions, filming on public highways etcetera).

·       Permissions and clearances – When filming an actor inside a shop, you will need permission for the location and any use of brands with written evidence. When filming outside a location and showing its brand you do not need permission, however if it is to convey a negative message about the place there is a risk of litigations. In the UK, the copywrite of a film shot in public is legally the filmmakers, this means you do not need permission to use people’s faces.

·       Libel and defamation – The defamation law denotes false statements made about something or someone that can ruin their reputation that is, as HG.org says, “communicated as fact to one or more other persons by an individual or entity (such as a person, newspaper, magazine, or political organization)”; defamation is classified as either slander or libel. Libel refers to the defamatory statements made through TV or Media under the false pretences of being factual.

·       Broadcasting Act (1990) -  This act was to ameliorate the entire structure of British Broadcasting. It meant that 25% of the ITV channels output must be from a source, independent to ITV and from outside the UK. Channel 4 could sell their own advertising and ITV’s monopoly of advertising was deregulated. Like BBC, ITV and Channel 4, Channel 5 was the last conventional terrestrial TV channel before a takeover in the digital explosion in 1997 (this means it has the same regular programming every week). Also, the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act (1987) was also modified.

·       Ofcom Broadcasting Code – This code is to protect under-eighteens by scheduling programmes at certain times, and “to ensure that generally accepted standards are applied to the content of television and radio services [to] provide adequate protection for members of the public from the inclusion in such services of harmful and/or offensive material”, as said by Ofcom.

References:

BBC. (2016). Editorial Guidelines Section 3: Accuracy. Available at: <http://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/guidelines/accuracy> Date accessed: (19/10/2016).

BBC. (2016). Editorial Guidelines Section 4: Impartiality. Available at <http://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/guidelines/impartiality/breadth-diversity-opinion> Date accessed: (21/10/2016).

Bournemouth University. Broadcasting Acts. Available at <https://media3.bournemouth.ac.uk/profstudies/3medialaw/02acts.html>Date accessed: (23/10/2016).

British Film Commission. (2016). Filming in public spaces. Available at: <http://www.britishfilmcommission.org.uk/crew-facilities/locations/filming-in-public-spaces/> Date accessed: (23/10/2016).

Channel 4. (2016). Factual Programme Guidelines Introduction. Available at <http://www.channel4.com/producers-handbook/c4-guidelines/factual-programme-guidelines> Date accessed: (21/10/2016).

Haydn, L. (16/11/2012). Understand issues relating to programming for television. Available at <http://liamhaydn.blogspot.co.uk/> Date accessed: (23/10/2016).

HG.org Legal Resources. (1995-2016). Defamation Law – Guide to Libel and Slander Law. Available at <https://www.hg.org/defamation.html>Date accessed: (23/10/2016).

IMDB. Super Size Me (2004). Available at <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390521/?ref_=nv_sr_3> Date accessed: (23/10/2016).

Mirzad, B. (24/12/2012). LO1 Task 1: Issues Relating to Factual Programming. Available at <http://factualprogrammingbm.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/task-2-issues-relating-to-factual.html> Date accessed: (19/10/2016).

Ofcom. (09/05/2016). The Ofcom Broadcasting Code (incorporating the Cross-promotion Code). Available at <https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/broadcast-codes/broadcast-code>Date accessed: (23/10/2016).

Wikipedia. (14/11/2015). Broadcasting Act 1990. Available at <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadcasting_Act_1990> Date accessed: (23/10/2016).