Media Industries Mini Assignment

ASA:
The Advertising Standards Authority is a self regulatory organisation concerning advertising in the United Kingdom. They are unable to actually enforce legislation but are more like a codes and conventions which in many cases do reflect actual legislation. Their purpose is to make sure that all advertising is created to the same high standards, and to regulate, which helps to stop false advertising for occurring.

Examples of specific codes that they put into pratice:
Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation,
To regulate the content of advertisements, sales promotions and direct marketing in the UK by investigating complaints made about ads, sales promotions or direct marketing,
No marketing communication should mislead, or be likely to mislead, by inaccuracy, ambiguity, exaggeration, omission or otherwise.

NUJ:
The National Union of Journalists is a trade union that was founded in 1907 for journalists in the UK. There are different councils for each sector which concerns the NUJ, which are, Newspapers and Agencies, Freelance, Magazine and Book, Broadcasting, New Media and Press and PR. It functions as a code of conventions that all journalists that join the union must strive to adhere by. It sets out the basic principles of responsible independent journalism and has been the model for numerous other journalists’ codes. All members agree to uphold its terms when they join the union.
Examples of these codes are as follows:
A journalist at all times upholds and defends the principle of media freedom, the right of freedom of expression and the right of the public to be informed,
To strive to ensure that information disseminated is honestly conveyed, accurate and fair,
Does her/his utmost to correct harmful inaccuracies,

PPC:
This is the regulatory body for printed media in the U.K, and it consists of representatives of the major publishers. It is not funded by the government, but by an annual Levy that it charges newspapers and magazines – however this is voluntary. The organisations involved with it adjust the rulings of it, which makes the industry self regulating.
It has not legal power, it is more of a set of codes and conducts that should be adhered by.
Examples from the code are as follows:
The press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information, including pictures,
A fair opportunity for reply to inaccuracies must be given when reasonably called for,
Everyone is entitled to respect for his or her private and family life, home, health and correspondence, including digital communications,

Three additional Codes I feel are relevant to the magazine publishing industry:
Journalists must not engage in intimidation, harassment or persistent pursuit,
It is unacceptable to photograph individuals in private places without their consent.
To differentiates between fact and opinion.
Criminal and Civil Law:
Civil law revolves around discrepancies between organisations, companies and people. This includes events such as suing, or lawsuits.
Criminal law is concerned with 'criminals' who commit a crime, which is against the Law of the concerning country. They criminal, if convicted is liable for sentence in Criminal court, which may result in a Jail sentence.

Health and Safety in the photography studio:
Cables/tripods are tidied away,
Act in a responsible manner (no prating about),
Equipment that is not being used is tidied away,
People are warned of the temperature of the lights / lights positioned to minimize risk to people in studio (i.e. not obstructing a walkway) and are not handled when on / have significant time to cool,
Making sure the background is secured and fastened down, and the subject is briefed not to walk into it.

Copyright:
To copyright a piece of work is to have the exclusive rights to it, awarded to the author or creator of an original work, allowing them to copy adapt and distribute that piece.
Any original idea can be copyrighted, but the term mainly applies to all forms of media, such as films, music and artwork.
By copyrighting work it means only the creator may profit from the piece.

Libel Law:
Defamation is when someone tries to effect someone else's reputation, by making up a story or a fake claim. For instance, to say Lauren sleeps around and cheats on her boyfriend*, when she does not, would be a form of Defamation.
Libel is when the claim above is published, in any form of media. If someone where to blog, or write for a magazine a story that said Lauren sleeps around and cheats, this would be a form of Libel.
Slander is when Defamation is spoken out to a public group. (The expressing of the story via word of mouth). This would be if someone told their class that Lauren sleeps around and cheats.

*all names and situations are examples and any connections with real people or events are entirely coincidental.

Data Protection Act:
The Data Protection Act is an act of Parliament, which defines UK law that are involved with the processing of data on identifiable living people. It is the primary governor of the protection of data within the UK.
The act itself does not mention privacy, but it actually provides a way in which all individuals can control information about themselves.
Ethics:
Teenagers are often poorly portrayed by the Media, when in fact it is a very small percentage of them who actually cause a problem. This then makes the general public more afraid of them, heightening the problem. The media often shows the worst thing my generation gets up to, mainly to fear munger and to get a good story.
Muslims are poorly betrayed because of the situation in the wider world, and of the extremist view that a small percentage of those who follow that religion taints the public view of the rest, as once again we only hear the worst.
Celebrities. Although fame and the paparazzi go hand in hand, celebrities need the publication in order to survive, and the publications need the business, one shudders at the thought to have to live that life, with the press constantly sticking their noses into ones private life.