LO2: Legal & Ethical Report

Legal

The Obscene publications act is an act that prevents magazines from releasing certain content. The law makes it illegal to publish content that corrupts its readers. 70% of my audience are from the ABC1 social-economic gradings due to my magazine’s events requiring a disposable income. Parents of teenagers (13+), 50% females and males, ages 35-50-year-olds, are my primary audience. There are multiple aspects I need to consider in order to not negatively impact my audience. My magazine is for Sheffield’s events, both small and large, therefore I must promote behaviour that are positive and allowed within event guidelines. This is to prevent my audience from allowing their teenagers, or themselves, from conducting rude and unethical behaviour. To do this I will conduct research on The Christmas Market, only promoting activities, such that are allowed as well as highlighting the events rules- such as respecting staff. 

Libel Law makes it illegal to publish content that is harmful about a person or publishing untrue information. One way I will adhere to this is being neutral regarding the events I am promoting. When promoting Sheffield Christmas Market, I will not say harmful things towards the event, focusing on fact rather than my opinion. Therefore, I will not exaggerate nor under-exaggerate, to create a true narrative of what to expect. This is important as my target audience are trusting my magazine to inform them of what they can do at these events. If not it may push them to act irrationally due to untrue expectations. Additionally, most of my events advertise small companies, with the exception of bigger events such as Sheffield Christmas Market. This means my articles could servley impact buisnesses negatively if I publish harmful content about them. Finally, if I don't respect these laws could face legal action and fines. To do this I will fact check my statements, and focus on what is offered and the experience, then personal opinion. I will also not promote events I belive would be unenjoyable for my target audience. 

Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, copyright is an automatic legal right that protects original creative works from being copied without the owner’s permission. This effects the production process of my magazine. Conventionally, across most magazine genres, including event magazines, their pages have many assets, images and banners that create a distinctive style. This means for my magazine to follow the codes and conventions of magazines, and follow my wireframes, I need numerous assets. One way to follow this law, whilst save time making assets, is making sure any asset I find on the internet are under ‘All Creative Commons’. This is a category I can select under ‘tools’ on google and it allows me to use images that are under the act commercially without fees. This is extremely beneficial as my product has no finance. Additionally, another way I can adhere to this law it is making me own assets using photoshop. In many ways this is more beneficial than using online ones as I can fully customise the asset to make it fit my house style strongly. With this in mind, I will take my own photographs. For my main cover I will make make a banner using a mix of assets under the All Creative Commons law and editing on photoshop as well as a drawing small graphics on photoshop for all of my pages. If I don’t follow this law, I can face being sued or fined. 

Ethical 

Representation of Sheffield's diverse population impacts the success of my product and is ethically important. Sheffield has a multicultural population that is inclusive of all walks of life and its important that my magazine reflects this. Images are an important tool that can connect to audiences, they create buoth personal identiity (bluhmer and Katz theory) as well as ideal self and partner (Rogers 1980).  The representations I show must not depict negative stereyotypes, instead highlighting Sheffield's diverse identiity. To adhere to this I will include a realistic familiy as my main cover image. I will also have a range of people in my DPs images that reflects Sheffield's society. If I don't follow this, I wont face legal action yet my magazines representation will be negativly impacted. This can prevent sales. Additionally, it can negativley impact my audiences if my representations are harmful or untrue, leaving some adults hurt. 

Mise en scene is an important part of my magazines design, as it communicates genre, engages the target audience and connotes content. A significant aspect of mise en scene is clothing. Due to my magazine being aimed at families, witth teenagers (13+) and parents (35-50) as my primary target audience, its important that the teenagers on my front cover are dressed in age appropriate clothing. Any form of revealing clothing or sexualtaion would be ethicially irresponsible and illegal, as we as harmful to the way audiences interpret my magazine. To adhere to a family-friendly genre, I will ensure that the clothing chosen for teenagers are modest and suitable for age group. This allows audiences to form an appropriate personal identity connection with the magazine. Additionally, this clothing wont be christmas focused, rather Winter, to allow people from all relgiions to connect with the magazine. If I dont follow this, my magazines reputation will be negativley impacted. Additionally, inappropriate clothing could encourage harmful or expoitaive readings. This would damage the trust between my product and its audience, reducing saales and potentially causing emotional harm to readers.