Ethics and Legality of Media

Ethics of Radio Broadcasting...

 Ethics

 The breach in ethics, that has been one of the largest complained about in ten years.  It was given the name Sachsgate, after Andrew Sachs, whom was pranked called live on air by Radio host Russell Brand and guest Jonothan Ross.  When Brand was attempting to phone Sachs for a live phone interview, before which Brand mentions live on air that he had slept with Sachs' granddaugter.  This is already a breach of ethics as it was personal information not needed or allowed to be broadcast live on air, But soon followed to continuously phone and berate sachs over his answer machine 3 more times one of which Ross shouted "He fucked your granddaughter" this again was breaching the linguistic uses on air, this was originally a distasteful joke that turned into a breach in ethics and a slander fest live on air, which resulted in Brand and Ross were suspended and eventually left the BBC.  This went against basic radio ethics as it brought personal and private information to light and linguistically used foul language on live radio without prior warning or made awareness.

Legality

Ofcom Broadcasting Code 7.1 Broadcasters must avoid unjust or unfair treatment of individuals or organisations in programmes.

On the Radio it would be unethical to state live on air unfair comments about another person or organisation.  An example of this is when on air at BBC RADIO 1 Chris Moyles when talking to Fearne Cotton about the lead singer of The Gossip, Beth Ditto, said "I'm not saying Beth Ditto is fat, but her blood type is Ragu".  In this instance Chris Moyles went against this Ofcom code by giving out his own personal, negative and unfair comments againts an individual.  This is Illegal and would have been brought up and taken into action by Ofcom.