Overview 

This standard involves complying with the legal and  regulatory framework which governs UK radio and audio broadcasting in order to meet minimum standards of ethical behaviour.

It involves knowing and respecting the content of employers’ codes of conduct and programme guidelines which are intended to ensure or exceed compliance with the regulatory framework.

This standard applies to all those working in the radio or audio industries.

 

Performance Criteria 

You must be able to: 

  1. comply with legislation, regulatory requirements and industry codes of conduct
  2. check that any news content for radio and audio is impartial and accurate
  3. ensure fairness in the treatment of individuals and organisations in radio, audio and related outputs in which you are involved
  4. obtain consent from contributors to radio, audio and related content as required
  5. justify the inclusion of any material with the potential to give offence to in terms of its context, as defined in broadcasting codes and organisational content guidelines
  6. consider audience inclusion and accessibility when creating radio and audio content
  7. gain permission for any act of surreptitious recording, trespass or clandestine acquisition of documents – whether for journalistic or entertainment
  8. ensure equal treatment and the use of explicit selection criteria in all forms of competition
  9. respond to programme complaints in line with relevant legal obligations and your organisations code of conduct
  10. keep notes of research/interview material for the period stipulated in employers’ codes of conduct or guidelines
  11. declare any potential conflicts of interest in terms of the subject matter you are dealing with in line with codes of conduct or guidelines
  12. seek the advice of qualified and experienced people when dealing with any ethical uncertainty

 

Knowledge and understanding 

You need to know and understand: 

  1. current legislation relevant to the radio and audio industry including: Defamation, Contempt, Copyright and Intellectual Property, Privacy and freedom of expression, Data protection, Equality and discrimination, Obscenity, Official Secrets Act, Trespass, Photography of children, Property release, Rights and permissions, Contracts, Public liability
  2. the role of Ofcom and the Ofcom Broadcasting Code as it applies to radio and audio
  3. the content of the BBC’s editorial guidelines relevant to radio and audio, where appropriate
  4. the role of the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) and the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising
  5. the role of the Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA) and its Code of Practice for premium rate phone services
  6. your employers’ in-house codes of conduct, content and programme guidelines, and complaints’ procedures
  7. the issues of equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility in relation to broadcasting
  8. the considerations when assessing online material from non-regulated internet sources
  9. the scope of intellectual property rights and what is protected by copyright, including social media and user generated radio and audio content
  10. rights of access to information under Freedom of Information legislation and the legal limitations on such access
  11. dangers of libel in live radio, archive or online material
  12. the dangers and benefits of surreptitious recording of material including when, and when not, to disclose your recording activity
  13. when it is permissible to intrude on individual privacy in the public or national interest
  14. how to decide whether and who to interview, and when it is appropriate to withdraw
  15. when it is necessary to seek editorial and/or legal guidance
  16. how to assess potential conflicts of interest and why you should not use confidential information gained in the course of your work to benefit your own or associates’ private interests