Fairness

Key Points

• The unfair treatment of individuals or organisations in programmes should be avoided.
• Informed consent. Contributors should take part in programmes on the basis of their informed consent. Any deviation from this rule must be justified by the public interest or otherwise.
• Parental consent will normally be required for contributors who are under 16. For over 16s unable to give informed consent, consent should be sought from an appropriate responsible adult.
• Fair editing. Interviews and contributions must be edited and presented fairly within programmes.
• Fairness and accuracy. Factual programmes should be fair and accurate. Similarly, dramas and dramas based on fact should not portray facts, events, individuals or organisations in a way which causes unfairness to an individual or organisation.
• Opportunity to respond. Any programme which is critical of, or alleges wrongdoing or incompetence on the part of an individual or organisation should normally give that person or organisation the opportunity to respond. Any relevant response should be fairly included.
• Deception in factual programmes. Any deception should be necessary and justified by and proportional to the public interest served.
• Deception in entertainment programmes. Deception without a public interest justification is acceptable, subject to certain safeguards, but footage cannot be broadcast without the subject's informed consent.
• Duty of Care. Channel 4 takes the duty of care towards its contributors very seriously and adopts a bespoke approach to contributor care. From the very outset, content makers should think carefully about duty of care considerations, including whether a duty of care risk assessment document/protocol is required. If so, a risk assessment document/protocol that is specific and tailored for the content they are making should be prepared at the earliest stage of production.