Guest Lecture: Putting Care into UK Reality Television
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Don't miss this special presentation that explores the conditions of reality TV.
Trigger warning: Mention of suicide and mental health.
The recent regulatory protocols and changes to the broadcasting code, mandated by Ofcom the UK broadcast regulator, have created a new environment for unscripted TV where production must demonstrate due care to the welfare of contributors (Wood 2022). This has largely occurred in response to a series of suicides linked to appearing in reality television that invoked a Parliamentary Inquiry as part of more public conversations about declining mental health. Ofcom have issued new regulatory statutes and guidance for the assessment and management of risk and broadcasters have variously responded with care teams, psychological support and care executives.
About Guest Lecturer Helen Wood
Helen Wood is Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Lancaster. She is author of Talking With Television (Illinois 2009), Reacting to Reality Television (with Bev Skeggs, Routledge 2012) and Audience (Routledge 2023 forthcoming) as well as numerous articles on gender, class and television. She was adviser to the 2019 Parliamentary Inquiry into reality television and former long-serving editor of the European Journal of Cultural Studies.
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This event takes place in Q205 on Level 2 of the Q Building, Wright Lane Honeysuckle, at the University of Newcastle's City Campus.
Event Information
- Date: This event was held on Tuesday 4 April 2023
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.