OFCOM Factual programme

regulations

OFCOM How it imposes How it could How it could

Regulation constraints on affect your work affect your work
media productions? negatively positively

Reconstructio The whole point of If I have a Reconstruction

ns having a reconstruction of can be useful in
reconstruction is to someone getting my documentary
replay an event hurt while in a to show how
which previously gym and it I not someone was
occurred. an accurate injured while
Reconstructions portrayal, the exercise or to
have to be audience may fid show someone’s
accurate, can not it hard to believe workout plan.
mislead the that the rest of This shows the
audience and they the documentary audience that
must only show is based or real this documentary
what really events. is to do with real
happened. There issues ad events.
also has to be an
indication that it is a
reconstruction.
Secret filming People are not Secretly filming Places like gyms
allowed to be filmed someone may be a bit
secretly unless the exercising in a easier to secretly
broadcaster says it public place such film peoples
is ok. Programme as a park will be exercise routines
makers have to hard if not with the gym
record their reasons impossible to get owners consent,
for secret filming permission for. my reason in
which also has to be Secretly filming writing and the
approved. If some them without persons consent
is secretly filmed permission can to use the
and these two lead to serious footage
points are not consequences. afterwards.
approved there will
be legal conflict.
Payments Any payments to The general Experts and
contributors and public may not other
various other mind being participants in
individual have to featured in the the production
go through the documentary for will all be treated
broadcaster. This free but experts equally. No one
also has to go (such as Gym will be promised
through a lawyer owners and staff) payments.
before promises of may want a
payments are payment.
made.
Dealing with Contributors have to Anyone who is Using
contributors show some form of featured in this contributors such
consent. If they are documentary as ballet dancers
used in the (e.g. Doctors, will have a
production, they Gym staff and positive affect on
must not be falsely dancers etc) my production as
portrayed. A lawyer must all consent it makes it more
made be involved if before being realistic in the
there are filmed. If audience’s eyes.
contributors with someone has not
authority such as consented, I will
police. not be able to
film them.
Potentially Including materials A lot of the I will have to
offensive such as strong expert opinions make sure that I
material language and in this explain the rules
explicit sexual documentary will about no
behaviour in be from adults. offensive
productions must be During their language to Gym
used for a specific interview they owners and the
reason. The reason may use staff before I
for its use must also offensive interview them.
be backed up. language which
Before the will negatively
documentary is affect the
shown, a warning production if the
must be given footage is kept
about the material and shown.
shown.
Criminality Productions which Criminality does There is no link
contain and not link with the between
criminals have to be topic fitness and criminality and
careful of certain exercise. fitness and
issues e.g. harm Participants will exercise.
and offence. be protected at
Protection of all times.
participants will also
have to be taken
into consideration.

What is OFCOM’s role as a media regulator?

OFCOM is short for ‘the Office of Communications’. It maintains television

and radio programmes content in the UK. Another role of OFCOM is to
control the ‘Broadcasting Code’ which has rules explaining how the
standards of the programmes should be as well as sponsorship, fairness
and privacy in the programmes. All programmes have to meet these
rules.