Questions about Regulation

Who regulates the media?

1   There are several different bodies that regulate the media in the UK. Different bodies focus on specific area’s of the media, for example: PCC (Press Complaints Commission), which was set up by newspaper bodies.  Other bodies such as the ITC (Independent Television Commission) deal with the regulation of private television.

Why does the media needs regulating?

2.   Media needs regulation to establish a level playing ground. The regulation of media insures that all media institutions, big or small stick to a set of rules and boundaries. Regulation also insures that the public are protected from the money hungry campaigns media institutions use to get the public to spend their hard earned money on needless products.

Should media texts be subject to censorship?

3.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0AZH5641LM So I watched this clip and the guy at 1:40 hits the nail on the head. This seems to be just another one of those things that we could argue about forever but if media text does become subject to censorship then where will things end. It would pretty much go against the whole free speech rule, so I guess it comes down to a moral issue. As human we should have a form of censorship ourselves and know what’s morally right/acceptable to say.

What are the key issues relating to media influence (Uses and Gratification Theory, Desensitisation, Cultural Regulation), and how might they have affected you?

4.   

Is the public protected or hindered by media regulation?


5.   Different people will have different opinions to this question, however the fact that people may interpret different things from ads from the media, so whats regulated may be an inaccurate estimate of what the public need to be protected from. So personally I think the public is currently hindered by the regulation of media. I think the public should be able to make their own judgments on what the rules should be for media that is regulated.


What is the moral responsibility of a media institution?


6.   Unfortunately the moral responsibility doesn’t seem to exist. The point of media institutions is to make money and a lot of it, and that all means they will do whatever is necessary to make as much money as possible (as long as it’s meets regulation guidelines of course). Morally they should present a truthful reflection of their product but then nobody would eat MacDonald’s would they.  

Louis Theroux: America's most hated family...

Ah the beloved loop hole, you've got to love it, the trick is you never admit it's wrong or 'sinful' and your cool to be in the crazy church as long as you want. As we see at 47 min into this documentary, this girl clearly has a connection with this dutch fellow but according to her its not a connection, simply a way to preach the bottom line however the Dutch guy seems to be different from all the other sinners she's come across? She sends him chocolates? but he's still a sinner and is going to hell right? I think Louis has struck gold, he See's her vulnerability and attacks (on a human level of course). She clearly has feelings for this guy, the constant gifts, keeping in touch, It's like she's kind of experiencing the big wide sinful world while being in the comfort of her church. The fact is although these people think that they are different (which they are), they are humans and will have felt human emotions which go against their belief. For this girl it seems to be love, and she seems stunned when Louis hit the nail on the head and discovered the loop hole she has (notice how the family jump in to protect her).