Do you ever worry about the way reality is presented in the media? Do you think broadcasters can be trusted to do the right thing?

The Professional Ethics Network (PEN) workshops provide an opportunity for professionals to get together and discuss the ethical issues which impact on their lives. Guest speakers with expertise in key areas help to shed light on issues which can sometimes be difficult to handle. The Inter-Disciplinary Applied Ethics Centre's academic specialists guide discussions to help delegates to make real progress in working through these issues. Workshops are free of charge and include dinner, wine and opportunities for networking.

The issue of trust in the media has been in the news over the last couple of years, from Top Gear faking a fire in a caravan, to Blue Peter cheating their viewers out of naming a cat. The event that really triggered mass coverage was when a BBC promotional tape showed the Queen supposedly storming out of a photo session, even though that never happened.

But in truth, the camera always lies, and it has done since it was first invented. Every shooting and editing decision affects the audience’s perception of a film and of the characters portrayed. And these techniques are what makes a film interesting; without them, they would be unwatchable. So the real question is not whether it’s OK to use these techniques, but where is the boundary between honest use and deception?

In this session Patrick Titley, a BAFTA award winning producer/director, explains the dilemmas faced on location; why the guidelines issued by broadcasters are pointless; and why he once pretended that Myleene Klass could see the planet Venus through a telescope, even though it was a totally overcast day…

Issues of trust and deception arise across all professions and we expect that the discussion and debate at this workshop will be as wide-ranging and illuminating as at previous sessions.

Places are free of charge but limited and need to be booked in advance. If you would like to sign up, please email Jim Baxter (j.d.baxter@leeds.ac.uk) stating your name, employing organisation and any dietary/access requirements. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you would like any further information about this session or the Professional Ethics Network in general, or visit the IDEA CETL’s professional ethics website at www.idea.leeds.ac.uk/profethics.