Law and Ethics Test 4

7a). A new bookshop has opened in your town. The owner is Muslim. Do you say so in your report?

I will not mention the owner’s religion belief. It’s a matter of religion.

What is news is a new bookshop has opened. It’s enough. Whether the owner is a religionist or irreligionist does not matter news itself.

If the owner’s religion - Muslim – is mentioned in the report, it is something like you are emphasizing the owner’s religion belief, which tends to be vulnerable, unjustified offence or discriminated.

7b). The local council has appointed a new Mayor – for the first time ever, a British man of Afro-Caribbean origin . Does your report mention his ethnicity?

Yes, I will not only mention his ethnicity, but emphasize it. It is a race-related news report with highly public interest, and the audience aiming at all citizens living in London as well as other parts of the world.

According to BBC Editorial Guidelines, “the race to become London Mayor is expected to be high profile with a strong emphasis on personality”.

Care is needed to balance to mention the other candidates with the appointed mayor not only during the election period but all the time, so that no undue advantage over the opponents is given.

8a). A Hampton betting shop was robbed of more than £3,000 by three black men wearing scarves and gloves. On Friday November 3 at around 5.50pm the males entered the shop on High Street Hampton with their faces partially covered. They approached the counter, behind which two female members of staff were working, and one man leant over and unbolted the counter hatch before kicking it open allowing them to reach the till.

In my opinion, the report mentioned too many criminal details.

This is very dangerous thing which may teach someone who is going to or has the idea to committee a crime that how to release an idea into activity.

Details like how the three men dressed themselves, and how to reach the till should not be reported. Audience only need to know about which shop when by who suffered what.