It is important that the creative media sector is regulated so that no harm or offence is caused to any viewers through the content which is broadcast.
There are several regulatory bodies that exist to monitor the broadcasted material. A regulatory body is 'a public authority or government agency responsible for exercising authority over some area of human activity in a regulatory or supervisory capacity.'
Examples of regulatory bodies include BBFC (British Board of Film Classification), OFCOM (Office Of Communications), IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisation formally PCC), ASA (Advertising Standards Authority).
A way in which the creative media sector is regulated is with film certifications that are given to the film by the BBFC (U, PG, 12A, 15, 18, R18)
The BBFC consider the following when the films are given certificates:
- Context
- Theme
- Tone and impact
- Drug use
- Discrimination
- Behaviour that can be copied
- Bad language
- Sex
- Nudity
- Threat
An example of a film which had problems with BBFC ratings was Grotesque (2009), which was rejected a rating or classification at any level. There was so much inappropriate material in the film that cuts were not considered viable.
The Guidelines on rejected works state that 'If a central concept of the work is unacceptable (for example, a sex work with a rape theme); or if intervention in any of the ways noted above is not acceptable to the submitting company; or if the changes required would be extensive or complex; the work may be rejected, ie refused a classification at any category'
Films must be classified to protect children from unsuitable and harmful content; and to give consumers information before deciding whether or not to view it. This is why the BBFC age rate films before they are released. They watch the film the whole way through before using guidelines such as harmful or disturbing scenes(which they make sure are taken out or given a higher age rating), as well as whether the films adhere to the animal protection laws and do not show scenes of animal cruelty.
Ofcom's code of broadcasting has 9 key sections that contain principles and rules:
- Protecting the under-eighteen's
- Harm and offence
- Crime
- Religion
- Due impartiality
- Elections and referendums
- Fairness
- Privacy
- Commercial references in TV programming
These principles and rules relate to the sections of
broadcasting that they believe needs regulating.
An example of a broadcasting mishap which broke some of
Ofcoms rules was Sachsgate- which included Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross
calling Andrew Sachs and leaving inappropriate messages about his granddaughter
during one of their radio shows.
The Ofcom rules that Sachsgate breached are as follows:
2.1- generally accepted standards must be applied to the contents
of television and radio services so as to provide adequate protection for members
of the public from the inclusion in such services of harmful and/or offensive material.
2.3- offensive material must be justified by the context
8.1 the standard requiring adequate protection for members of
the public from unwarranted infringements of privacy.
Whilst the regulation the creative media sector can only be a good thing; there are some issues to do with regulation.
Consumer choice means that people are able to watch what they want at home. For example, a parent could determine that their child under 18 is able to watch an 18 rated film and that is not illegal in their own home; whereas it is illegal to buy or to see it in the cinema.
Freedom of Information is an act that the public have 'rights of access' to information held by public authorities and therefore have the rights to view such films that they want to.
Censorship is a problem as different people hold different views on what is appropriate and what is not, and there are a few words that come into this category- 'damn', 'hell', etc. These words are censored out of kids TV shows and films, however some parents don't believe that they are necessarily bad words.
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