Media Regulation & Censorship (AQA GCSE Citizenship Studies): Revision Note

Even though media organisations have strong rights, they must also follow legal and ethical obligations to protect the public and are trustworthy in their reporting

Several bodies oversee different areas of the media

• Ofcom

  • Regulates TV, radio and on-demand broadcasting through its Broadcasting Code

  • Under the Media Act 2024 and the Online Safety Act, Ofcom also regulates certain aspects of social media and online platforms

• IPSO and Impress

  • These independent regulators oversee most of the print press, including newspapers

  • They handle complaints, set standards for journalists and can require corrections or apologies

• Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)

  • Acts on complaints about adverts and can ban those considered misleading, offensive or harmful

  • E.g. recent Zara adverts were banned after concerns that models were shown as “unhealthily thin”

Censorship refers to preventing or limiting publication

In the UK, censorship mainly applies in areas where content may cause harm, break the law or breach standards

• Self-censorship is where media organisations sometimes choose not to publish sensitive details to protect individuals or avoid legal risks

• Regulator-led censorship can occur when rules are broken

  • E.g. Ofcom recently ruled that a BBC documentary about Gaza breached broadcast rules in a “serious” way - the documentary was later removed from BBC's iPlayer

In addition, although the media can report on crimes, strict legal rules prevent them from publishing information that could identify victims, influence a trial or put someone in danger

• Examples include

  • No naming of children involved in crimes (victims, witnesses or defendants)

  • No reporting of details that could prejudice a jury, such as previous convictions before a verdict is reached

  • No identifying victims of sexual offences, who have lifelong anonymity

  • Restrictions during ongoing investigations to avoid harming police work

  • Court orders can stop the media from naming people or publishing certain facts

These rules protect fairness, safety and privacy while still allowing the public to stay informed