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LegalResearch
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OpinionandBias

OpinionandbiasasdefinedbyMerriamWebsteris
abelief,judgment,orwayofthinking
aboutsomething,Opinioncansometimesalterwritingsoncontroversialworks,andoftencan
leadtoopinionaffectingfactualdescriptionsofworks,thisbiasistobeavoided,asfactual
programsarebydesignfactual,andshouldnotbeaffectedbyanypersonalopinion.

TheBBCsownguidelinesstatethat

4.2.2
Newsinwhateverformmustbetreatedwithdueimpartiality,
givingdueweighttoevents,opinionandmainstrandsofargument.

Toensurenobiasinmyownwork,iwillbe
takingintocarefulconsiderationboththethe
opinionsofthearticlesresearched,andgain
opinionsonmultiplesidessoastogivea
variedresultiwillalsostrivetodeliveran
unbiasedpieceonmysubjectmatter,and
deliveronfactualanddocumentative
informationinmywork.

AsanexamplecompanieslikeFoxnewspart
ofmanymajorbroadcastingnetworksare
oftenconsideredtobebiased.Where
presentationsareoftendonewithhyperboleor
exaggeration.

Forinstance,theyareoftenconsideredtohave
abiastowardsconservativepoliticalmovementssupportinglawsandmovementsthatdirectly
helptheirparentcompany,21stcenturyfoxoftenthroughdifferentuseoflanguageand
coverage,sometimeseventwistingstoriesinfavourofcertainparties.

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Accuracy

Accuracyisthekeyfigureincreatingafactualprogramitisliterallyinthenametokeeptoa
standardofaccuracyandrepresentationthatallowsforinformativeworks.Butthatworkcan

sometimesbecompromisedbyfalseinformationinthingssuchasresearchorpersonal
statement.

TheBBCdefinestheirstanceonaccuracyintheirfactualworksas

3.2.2
AllBBCoutput,asappropriatetoitssubjectandnature,mustbewellsourced,basedonsound
evidence,thoroughlytestedandpresentedinclear,preciselanguage.Weshouldbehonestandopen
aboutwhatwedon'tknowandavoidunfoundedspeculation.Claims,allegations,materialfactsandother
contentthatcannotbecorroboratedshouldnormallybeattributed.

Ibelievethatthisstandardofresearchisapplicabletomyownwork,andshouldbeappliedtoit
too.Thisstandardofreferralandreferencingwillhelpmyworkpresentaccurateinformation,
sourcedfromavarietyofreliableandsupportedmaterials.

AsanexamplePoynter.orgmarkeda60minutesreportonBenghaziastheWorstnewserror
oftheyear,inwhichanewsreporterdirectlyliedabouthisexperiences.

Problemone:heliedtotheshowaboutwhathedidandsaw,therebymakinga
corepieceofevidenceinthe"60Minutes"counternarrativefalseandundercutting
theentiresegment.
Poynter.org
Thisfalseinformationisdestructiveforproductions,asitmisinformsmanypeopleandconfuses
audiences,aswellascreatinganethicallyunsoundbiastowardscertainpartiesaswellas
simplybeingshoddynewscoverage.
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BalanceandImpartiality

MerriamWebsterdefinesImpartialityas
treatingallpeopleandgroupsequally:notpartialor
biased.Byfollowingthisdefinition,thescriptandstorymayberepresentedinafarmore
impartialform(especiallyimportantconsideringthepotentialcontroversyofthepiece.)

BBCdefinesitsguidelinesonImpartialityas

4.2.1
Wemustdoallwecantoensurethat'
controversialsubjects
'
aretreatedwithdueimpartialityinallouroutput.

And
4.2.2
Newsinwhateverformmustbetreatedwithdueimpartiality,
givingdueweighttoevents,opinionandmainstrandsofargument.

Takenoteoftheuseoftheworddueinthestatement,aspresentingeverysinglesolitaryfact
andfigureasimpartialonaconstantbasisissimplyunnecessaryforaproductionsuchasthis
ratherfocusingonimpartialityoncontroversialtopics.

PlanetEarththefamousBBCseriesisknownforitspresentationasperfectlyaccurate,using
footagetoshowcaseevidence.Itdoesthisbydirectlyresearchingandconfirmingcertain
elementsofitsstudiesandpointswithbothfirsthandfootage,andresearchthusinstillingtrust
initspointsthroughevidenceanddirectlanguage.

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ObjectivityandSubjectivity

basedonfactsratherthanfeelingsoropinions:notinfluencedbyfeelingsisthedictionary
definitionandusingthisterminologyfortheworditseasytosurmountabasisforthetreatment
offactualevidence,alongwithitscounterpart,subjectivityrelatingtothewayaperson
experiencesthingsinhisorherownmind
:
basedonfeelingsoropinionsratherthanfacts.

TheBBCdefinestheirstanceonthematteras

4.4.26
Onlongrunningorcontinuousoutput(suchasgeneraldailymagazineprogrammes,theNews
Channel,Online,etc.)dueimpartialitymaybeachievedovertimebytheconsistentapplicationofeditorial
judgementinrelevantsubjectareas.Forinstance,itisnotusuallyrequiredforanappearancebya
politician,orothercontributorwithpartialviews,tobebalancedoneachoccasionbythosetakingacontrary
view,althoughitmaysometimesbenecessarytoofferarightofreply.

Ilikethisstanceonthematter,asbyapplyingabasicruleofpresentingbothargumentsfor
interpretationallowsaudiencestogatherenoughinformationtounderstandthestory
themselves.

Objectivityinnewscanoftenbeseeninreportsfromindependentlyfundedorganizationssuch
astheBBC,whereobjectivityallowsittobeareliablereferencepointforcurrentevents.Alack
ofobjectivitymayleadtonewbiases,andbeanotherthingtochangetheviewsofaudiences
artificially,thusinforminganaudiencethroughpersonaltaste.

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Representation

Representationisimportantforbothpeopleandfact.AsdefinedbyMerriamWebsteraperson
orgroupthatspeaksoractsfororinsupportofanotherpersonorgroup.Representationsuch

asthisisintegraltoobjectivityandimpartiality,aswithoutequalrepresentationcertainparties
maybeundermined.

Tokeeprepresentationunbiasedandfair,equaltimewillbegiventosidesofthestoryandno
protagonistorotherdramatictechniqueswillbeusedtoalterortwisteventsinanypartys
favour.

Misrepresentationissomethingthathasthepotentialtocompletely

RepresentationofcertaingroupssuchasMuslimandotherforeigncommunitieshasbeena
causeforalotofcontroversyincertainoutlets,causingcertainindividualstobeseenas
dangerous,despitenoevidencetosuchclaims.
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AccessandPrivacy

freedomfromunauthorizedintrusion
:
stateofbeingletaloneandabletokeepcertainesp.
personalmatterstooneself(AsdefinedbyMerriamWebster.)

Privacyisanissueinmanyhumanintereststories,andmanymediastationshaveinfringedon
theprivacyofindividuals.However,ifeelitisimportanttoatleastdiscloseanyandallactsthat
mayaffectindividualsduringtheproductionofmydocumentary,followinginsimilarsuittothe
BBCsguidelines

7.2.1
TheBBCmustbalancethepublicinterestinfreedomofexpressionwiththelegitimateexpectation
ofprivacybyindividuals.Anyinfringementofalegitimateexpectationofprivacyinthegatheringofmaterial,
includingsecretrecordinganddoorstepping,mustbejustifiableasproportionateintheparticular
circumstancesofthecase.

Whilstitdoesntmuchfitformyownproduction,itisimportanttodefinetheserulesforany
production.

NewsoutletslikeTMZoftenverethelinebetweenlegalandillegalwhenusingpaparazzi
reporterstogainprivateinformationoncelebritiesandpoliticians.Forexamplethetorrentof
leakedpicturesofcelebritiesduring2014,revealingconfidentialinformationoncelebrities,
includingnudeimagesthatseveralofsaidcelebritiesspokeoutagainst.

Thiskindofferventdisregardofprivacyisunnecessaryandvieringonillegal.
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ContractwiththeViewer

Ihopetodelivertomyaudienceafactualandinformativepieceoncurrentlegaldebate
surroundingyoutubescopyrightpoliciesandbyusingwellsourcedanddefinedevidence,
presentafactualandengagingstorythatmymainaudienceofteentoyoungadultviewerwould
beinterestedin.

Ipromisetoattheveryleastbefactualandwellversedwithinformedandaccurateopinions.
Providinginformationssourcesandcreditingworksfortheiroriginalowners.Noprivacyshallbe
invaded.

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LegalandEthicalconsideration
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PublicFilming

IwillbefilminginstudioareasonschoolgroundsmorespecificallyintheRotherfieldStudio
room.Iwillbeaskingpermissionfromtheteachersastoaccessitsfacilities.

Iwillbeaskingforpermissionviaemail,whichwillbeincludedasapartofmyfuture
preproduction.

ArchivalFootage

Asastoryabouttheinternetandothervisualmedia,saidmediawillbeshownandexploredas
suchseveralYoutubevideoswillbeincludedwithinthedocumentary.

Toprotectfromanylegalissuesiwillemaileachyoutuberaboutusingtheircontent,andwillbe
postingsaidresponsesinthefuturepreproduction.

SecretiveFilming

Therewillbe
no
secretiveorundisclosedfilmingofindividuals,ibelievethistobebothinvasive
ofsaidindividualsprivacy,andunnecessaryformyproduction.

Assuchnofilmingwillbedonewithoutdirectinvolvementandparticipationofsaidindividuals.

OffenceandSlander

Theproductionisdesignedtobeafairandequalargumentaboutthelegalandethicalevents
surroundingagameandtheonlinevideosproducedaboutit.Whilsttheremaybesomeinitial
opinionpieces,idoplantoofferafairandequalargumentanddocumentationofthetwosides.


Thevideowillincludediscussionofsomemoreoffensiveorpotentiallyhurtfultopics,including
childdeathanddiscussionsofcancersandterminalillnessassuchthesetopicswillbe
consideredandpresentedwithkindnessandcare.

Legallyspeaking,inordertodefendfrompotentialliabilityfromdefamation,iwillbespeaking
withandopenmindedformofdiscussion,andwillbemakingsureastonotpresentalleged
reportsasofficialevidence.