Ethical Issues

What are ethics?

These are the moral principles that define how a person or group acts. I am going to be explaining how ethical issues are approached in the TV and Film industries.

Many people mistake ethics with morals, which is completely fine because they do have interlinks. Focusing on TV and Film, there is no need legally for institutions to act in an ethical manner or nave ethical/ moral values, it may cause them to be badly represented to their audiences however they will not face legal consequences. Having said that, the idea of ethics plays a major role in everyone if not most people's lives and so media institutes find the need to implement them in their products. One of the biggest issues is the employability in some media companies, whether it is balanced in the number of ethnic minorities employed compared to those who are white or of a white background. Although media companies want to shed light on those ethnic minority groups by giving them a voice in Film or on TV, they still need to consider the way in which they represent them and whether this goes against ethical standards. If they are represented in a negative way the media can have a massive impact on people's opinions and influence them, there could be a breach in morals and ethical obligations of broadcasters and companies. Additionally, we may see ethics as an objective matter because of it being tied to society and what society values and believes in. However, as someone's ethics can change and/or develop over time it is likely that it may in fact be based more on a subjective view point. This means that what you value and believe in morally may not necessarily be what I value or believe.  Relating this idea to the TV and Film industries, in particular the TV industry, is what is or can be ethical to show? Issues as small as profanity or nudity can create controversy as parents for instance may not want their children to hear/see these things as they're watching TV, which can easily influence them to want to copy what they see/hear.  With films, there is the BBFC which can categories films with the age rating so they can show 'un-ethical' things such as murder, nudity etc as they have placed an age limit on it, which allows there to be some control over the audience and what they can/cannot watch. As TV is more universal and generally watched more than Films or Music videos, broadcasters in each channel have to follow ethical obligations and a set of rules, these can also be referred to as a 'code'. 

Code of practice

BBC's codes of practice 

The BBC's code of practice is to make sure all the producers and directors give everyone a equal opportunity regardless of age,sex,race etc. The producers must comply with all the anti-discrimination legislation that was brought forward, the BBC is aiming to act in an objective,integral, and confidential way, fairness and honesty in dealing with all their workers and trying to uphold their ethics that they have. They have written in the codes of practice that they will promote equal opportunities for everyone, in the past this was not necessarily the case, it was more dominant with white male's. in the modern times however the equal opportunities and how ethics have changed have made it more diverse and due to the legislation to promote equal opportunities in the BBC's code of practice. The BBC in their Code of practice is to also ensure impartiality in their news and to be objective. The BBC's is the national television so they have to represent the minorities, a good example is that there are now different races of news presenters which represent them in a good way. The minorities are now having a voice and are being shown on screen which allows them to be represented on national TV. The BBC also supports that all staff should be trained within the industry and to have equal opportunities in having promotions.   

'Love me, Love my face'

This is an example of where the BBC have upheld on disability, through showing an individual who is suffering from a condition but is still doing well. The BBC documentary is called 'Love me, Love my face'. This clearly shows that the BBC are conforming to there equal opportunities policy. This allows for minority groups to be represented in a positive way, and allows for the minority groups to be shown on national TV. This is ethically correct to make sure everyone has a voice and can express their opinions and views. The male shown in the clip (Jonno Lancaster) tells his story about how his medical condition has given him the push and drive to ''live life to the fullest'' , and has even given him a loving girlfriend and companion. This is shown at the point 2:54 where he is seen with his girlfriend on the ITV show 'This Morning' with the hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. This shows the BBC being flexible in filming the couple in another channel's studio. Not only this but we can clearly see that the couple are also represented as a flexible couple who don't let conditions such as Jonno's get in their way. This is shown at the point 8:41 where Jonno is seen working out in the gym, and getting fit, which shows the audience that he is living a normal life and that his condition is not a restraints or restriction for anything he wants to do. The BBC are upholding their codes of practice regarding the equality for all and in this case equality for the disabled. 

'The Undateables' 


Additionally, another example shown below is the show 'The Undateables' which is a BBC show. This clearly shows that the BBC are conforming to there equal opportunities policy. This allows for minority groups to be represented in a positive way, and allows for the minority groups to be shown on national TV. This is ethically correct to make sure everyone has a voice and can express their opinions and views. 

This clearly shows that the BBC are conforming to there equal opportunities policy. This allows for minority groups to be represented in a positive way, and allows for the minority groups to be shown on national TV. This is ethically correct to make sure everyone has a voice and can express their opinions and views. This clearly shows that the BBC are conforming to there equal opportunities policy. This allows for minority groups to be represented in a positive way, and allows for the minority groups to be shown on national TV. This is ethically correct to make sure everyone has a voice and can express their opinions and views. 

Emerging social concerns

Disability

Society is bonded together by what is right and wrong, or in other words everyone has a moral belief/ principle in which they use to enforce how they act or speak or live etc. Social concerns on specific issues is always continuing and will continue until it is resolved. I will be looking into some of the noted social concerns in the UK , and more specifically in London. Firstly, one major social concern most of us share is discrimination and the exploitation of certain ethnic groups or religious groups. The BBC series 'The Real Housewives of ISIS' is a show which is broadcast in the UK and since it's first appearance has received major concern from the public on the BBC breaking their codes of practice on what to show and what not to show. 

Real Housewives of ISIS

The image to the left shows a headline from the Mail online article, where a number of public opinions were stressed, showing the amount of concern they all share. The issue of discrimination is a very controversial one which many people feel strongly about. In this instance it is almost being made fun of through a television documentary. The BBC's audience to this show have clearly expressed their opinions on what they consider to be a ''tasteless and insensitive comedy show'' as shown in the headline. To the left is a comment on Facebook by Vanessa Beeley who is a investigative journalist focused on the middle east.

This has been a social concern for a long time and so the news and through and series allows for the media to relay this information to the public as they have a right too know about these topics and issues, as it is society's problem. 

Child grooming 

Child grooming is another major social issue and concern in our everyday lives. Many people don't realise it but it has a big effect on families across the UK in particular. It is an issue that definitely needs to be looked into more and investigated. I would say that this is the case because like gangs / crimes and other issues it effects a wide scope of people who suffer from it or know people who are effected by it. 

Online child grooming 

Here is an example of a real life child grooming case, which was reported by the BBC almost two years ago last Sunday. This event is a clear example of child grooming and how it as an issue is seen as ethnically or morally against society. The case involved five men who were grooming at least 1,400 children online and in some cases even raping them. This is an issue which would spark debates on the safety of the internet to young children and how acts such as these can be avoided. In this case the five men who were convicted of the child grooming of these children, and can be seen on the right, are all (or appear to be) of Asian descent. Although, it may not mean anything to the case, it is in society's interest that the five men are of an ethnic minority group. This is because it is often assumed (or is stereotyped) that most criminal acts are committed by those who come from ethnic backgrounds.