INPUT / … / … / Exploiting_ Manipulating and Selling Out: Ethics in TV Productions

As journalists, we have learned not to misuse the trust given to us. As TV makers, we are constantly warned of getting too close to our subjects. But how far should public broadcasters go in taking advantage of somebody’s situation and disposition for the sake of a good story? Where do we draw the line? Ethics in TV productions provokes a lot of questions. What if death, live on TV, were to become entertainment? That is the question posed by the provocative French documentary “The Game of Death.” But can a documentary film rely on the very reality TV techniques it is denouncing? And how far can television go in manipulating our participants? Where do we put the limit? In the personal and emotional documentary “Precious Life” a journalist smells a good story, and uses it – for a good cause. But to what extent should a filmmaker be personally involved without losing his or her objectivity? These two very different programmes show some of the dilemmas TV makers find themselves in at some point of their careers. How far should we go in the interest of our audience, our subjects and our professional integrity?