Lacie Stembridge

Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Podcast

The regulatory body IPSO, stands for The Independent Press Standards Organisation,
it is the independent regulator for the newspaper and magazine industry in the uk. They
hold newspapers and magazines account for their actions, they protect individual rights,
uphold high standards of journalism and help to maintain freedom of expression for the
press.
They make sure that member of newspapers and magazines follow the editors
code, including 16 different clauses.
They investigate complaints about printed and online material that may go
against the Editors Code.
Make publish corrections or adjudications if it goes against Editors Code.
Monitor press standards and require member newspaper and magazine to
submit an annual statement about how they follow Editors Code and handle any
complaints.
Investigate serious standards failings and can fine publishers up to 1 million in
cases where they are particularly serious and systemic.
Operate a 24hr anti-harassment advice line.
Provide advice for editors and journalists
Provide training.
Work with charities, NGOs and other organisations to support and improve press
standards.
The IPSO has a Editors Code of Practise, which was ratified by the PCC on 1st August
2007. It has 16 clauses, which are:
Accuracy
Privacy
Harassment
Intrusion into grief or shock
Reporting suicide
Children
Children in sex cases
Hospitals
Reporting of crime
Clandestine devices and subterfuge
Victims of sexual assault
Discrimination
Financial journalism
Confidential sources
Witness payments in criminal trials

Lacie Stembridge

Payment to criminals
Before IPSO, there was PCC (Press Complaints Commission) which was a voluntary
regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines, consisting of
representatives of the major publishers. It closed on the 8th of September, then
replaced by IPSO. PCC received extensive criticism for its lack of action in News of the
World phone hacking scandal, which included MPs and Prime Minister David Cameron,
who called for it to be replaced with a new system in July 2011.
Stereotypes in the media:
Stereotype is a simplified portrayal of a social group, often used as a quick way to
establish characters in media text. Some media texts have actually been criticised for
constructing offensive and/or damaging stereotypes. Stereotyping is actually something
we all do in everyday life: it is a natural part of the way our minds work and not in itself
necessarily a bad thing. There are numerous of things that can create stereotypes, for
example, appearance; this can be physical appearance, clothing and also voice. There
is also behaviour which can create a stereotype, this can also relate to their age and
what we all have stereotyped in each age category that is suited. In magazines, such as
Vogue, as it is a fashion and beauty based magazine, it features skinny attractive
women, this makes a stereotype for women, as to say that all women need to look like
this making a unrealistic stereotype, as models in the magazines are air brushed and
photoshopped to make them come across as more attractive. Another example of
stereotyping, in the newspaper The Sun, there was a problem with a headline they
published on the front page saying The Truth and giving false and bad accusations to
Liverpool fans at the time of the Hillsborough Disaster, Some fans picked pockets of
victims Some fans urinated on the brave cops and Some fans beat up PC giving kiss
of life this gave the Liverpool fans a stereotype that all of them were bad people and
didn't care about what was happening at that time to those people, when it was actually
false allegations that were made which also links to defamation (libel), which the media
has harmed Liverpool fans reputation in printed media. Media representation is ways in
which the media portrays particular groups, communities, experiences, ideas, or topics
from a particular ideological or value perspective. Stereotypes form the basis for
prejudice and discrimination.
The way in which racism is shown in media is particularly in The Sun, one of the quotes
say where the Brex was won: streets full of Polish shops, kids not speaking English
But Union Jacks now flying high again then the day later the editorial read The Sun
today calls on Brits of all creeds, colours and race- Leavers and remainders- to come
together for the good of the country. This is slander towards immigrants and how The

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Sun showed hypocrisy as they represented them in a bad light, then the next day telling
people it is wrong to discriminate them.
Another story in which The Sun showed lack of interest in ethics is where theyre were
accused of inciting racial hatred over a column by Kelvin MacKenzie which criticised
Channel 4 news for using a Hijab-wearing Muslim presenter to front its coverage of the
Nice Truck Attack, it was described as Not appropriate by the newspaper. There was
800 complaints submitted to IPSO, in which they investigated possible breaches of the
Editorial Code over accuracy, discrimination and harassment towards the woman and
her religion. This shows media representation in newspapers.

The problems in media that involves IPSO link a lot in The Sun have been in numerous
cases involving using photos of children refugees that claimed to be under 16, in their
newspaper. IPSO told The Huffington Post UK that it had so far received 23 complaints
around articles in the publications which questioned the ages of those arriving.
According to the Code Of Practise, children under the age of 16 should not be pictured
unless adult consent is given. The Sun was told to investigate to determine whether
they had this proof of age, and if they did not, they should have treated them as children
under the Code and then they have breached the code by featuring their pictures. IPSO
investigated this problem to see whether or not the newspaper broke the Editors Code
of Practise. They said that The Sun should not of printed them without knowing first that
they were certainly over 16. A source said this isn't simply a case of potential
rule-breaking, it's also about press ethics. And by printing these photographs, editors
would have known that they were contributing to an atmosphere of prejudice.
The products impact is the same for both magazine and newspaper, if a bad headline
about someone is published, then the passive audience will believe that headline and
the negative show of that person. Whereas, if it was a positive headline or story about
someone, the passive audience would also believe what is being published and the
good showing of that person/story. On all of the front covers of Vogues magazines it
features a current good role model and successful person, this has a good impact on
the reader as they are shown a good person and also their story inside. For example,
Emily Blunt is featured on a front cover for Vogue, as she was the main character in a
new uprising film that was soon to be released, she was also interviewed on her very
successful current life and past, and more information of the new film from her point of
view.
Passive theory (passive audience) has an audience member receiving information from
the media. It suggests that they do not question or even really intellectually engage at

Lacie Stembridge

all with what you see in media drink it in. They are manipulated by creators of media
texts, our behaviour and thinking might be easily changed by media-makers.
Active audience theory argues that media audiences do not just receive information
passively but are actively involved, often unconsciously, in making sense of the
message within their personal and social contexts. It is called decoding were the
audience are influenced by such things; family background, beliefs, values, culture,
interests, education and experiences. The audience actively involved in determining
what media they engage with and how in order to gratify specific needs and desires. For
example, if a catholic would want to read a magazine/newspaper, then they would buy
one that wouldn't offend or go against their beliefs. Or, if someone was interested in
fashion, they would buy a fashion magazine eg Vogue.
Ethical (moral) - ethical considerations are done to guide people and companies to
make sure they are conducting themselves in a considerate manner. Magazines and
newspapers need to make sure when publishing, that they don't upset or discriminate
someone for their appearance, beliefs, culture etc.
Legal (legislation)- legal considerations are when people or companies consider
potential laws which affect their industry and whether or not they are within or breaking
that law.
Some more legal/ethical points:
Defamation- communication of a false statement that harms the reputation of an
individual person, business, product, group, government, religion or nation.
Slander- oral defamation, in which someone tells one or more persons an untruth
that will harm the reputation of the person defamed.
Libel- to publish in print (including pictures), writing or broadcast through radio,
television or film, an untruth about another which will do harm to that person or
his/her reputation, by tending to bring the target into ridicule, hatred, scorn or
contempt of others. It is a written/broadcasted form of defamation.
Contempt of court- is the offence of being disobedient to or disrespectful towards
a court of law and its officers in the form of behaviour that opposes or defies the
authority, justice, and dignity of the court.
Copyright- a legal right created by the law of a country that grants the creator of
an original work exclusive rights for its use and distribution.
Offensive material- any published or broadcast content (such as articles,
photographs, films or websites) that is likely to be upsetting, insulting or
objectionable to some or most people.
Another example where legal and ethical problems are shown, is when News UKs
News Of the World phone hacking scandal came out. Milly Dowler who was abducted
and murdered as a young girl, had her phone hacked into by reports from News of the

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World. In 2011, media reported that reporters had accessed Dowlers voicemails after
she was reported missing. Resulting outcry from British public contributed to the closure
of the newspaper and led to a range of investigations and inquiries Into phone hacking
and media ethics in British media.