Directed Study Week 2 – Regulations and Moral Panics

In this week’s lecture we were introduced to the regulations and moral panics within radio and popular music. We were able to explore the impacts of moral panics on regulations within the popular music industry in the UK. There are two main motivations for regulation in media industries. One is the need to facilitate diversity and choice therefore broadcasters are required to cater for a range of different social groups and provide diverse content. The other is to facilitate consumer choice, so media sources cater to all social groups.

Moreover, with regards to regulators there are many types. For example, BBC Trust that regulates public service broadcasters. They are a group of 12 trustees. OFCOM are another independent regulator that regulates all four main types of radio along with TV, fixed lines and mobile. Their aim is to ensure that there is a wide range of television, provided by a range of organisations. They also protect viewers from harmful or offensive material and from being treated unfairly.

Futhermore, regulation within the media industry usually works in three main ways; financially, technologically and socially. In terms of financially, companies can form copyrights to ensure that their material is protected from being duplicated. Additionally there are restrictions to prevent people from downloading music illegally. From my lecture, I was able to identify that regulating socially is slightly more difficult as there isn’t a structured method. The social variance of these regulations is what can be associated with moral panics. Moral panics are a widespread public fear and can be construed within society to link with music. Thornton (1994) stated that moral panics have a ‘symbiotic relation to a diversity of media’ suggesting that media acts as an institution and thereby is crucial to the ‘creation, classification and distribution of cultural knowledge’ (Thornton, 1994:188). This reading allows us to understand that moral panics occur when regulations do not coincide with social norms.

In addition, I explored another reading through Swetswise that helps understand the relationship between regulations and moral panics in media. Stanley Cohen (2002) suggests that moral panic exists when ‘a condition, episode, person or group emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests’ (Cohen, 2002:1). The reading helps understand that moral panics are affected by presentations of music sources through other forms of media. Which links with Thornton (1994) whom believed ‘the logic of moral panic operates conspicuously within the purview of the tabloids’ (Thornton, 1994:184). Both readings allow us to understand that moral panics are linked to regulations through its representations. Therefore how the media represent music sources can act as a domino effect in how someone interprets the source.

Finally, in terms of my own research I would like to explore the effect of a more restricted regulation system. For example in other countries there are more regulations for media sources compared to the UK. It would be interested to understand what effect this will have on moral panics.

Bibliography: 

Thornton, (1994). 'Moral Panic, The Media & British Rave Culture'. In: Andrew Ross & Tricia Rose (ed), Microphone Fiends, Youth Music & Youth Culture. 1st ed. London: Routledge. pp.(176-192).

Kylpchak B (2011). ‘How you gonna see me now: Recontextualising metal artists and moral panics’ In: Popular Music History Vol.4. Sheffield: Equinox Publishing Ltd pp.(35-51).