Transcript A thrilling session on film classification

Comparative MEDIA LAW
Ghent University
SESSION 8
Regulation, classification, rating and
monitoring of audiovisual content in Europe
Guest speaker:
Inger Hoedt-Rasmussen
Dirk VOORHOOF
www.psw.ugent.be/dv
A thrilling session on Sex & the City
• A programme for all
ages ???
• No chewing gum
allowed
Your opinion?
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Total ban
Cutting
Rating
Consumer information
No intervention
Issues to be dealt with
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Pornography
Sex
Nudity
Human dignity
War
Violence
Disrespecting authorities
Bad language
Political propaganda
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Hate speech
Drugs
Alcohol
Cigarettes
Commercials
Decency
Religion
Blasphemy
Fast food
Do we regard children
and teenagers as:
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a talented group, who
possesses new technology
based competencies?
a weak group with a
specific need to be
protected?
a social problem?
a treat to well established
fundamental values? or
a specific educational task?
A global model ?
From
Censorship
trough
Rating
towards
Product information
Which media?
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Cinema film
Video
Computer games
Television and radio
Books
Theater
Paintings
Music
Internet (filtering, blocking)
How the rating/classifying is organised?
State authority
– Law
– Department/Ministry of justice, culture,
youth, social affairs, media
- Danish Media Council for children and
young people
http://portal.medieraadet.dk/?lang=da
How the rating/classifying is organised?
Self-regulation
– US, the MPAA film rating system, Movies Pictures
Association of America, is rating a movie's suitability for
certain audiences. It is one of various motion picture rating
systems used to help patrons decide which movies
may be appropriate for children and/or
adolescents: http://www.mpaa.org/
– Germany: Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der
Filmwirtschaft FSK
http://www.spio.de/index.asp?SeitID=2
– PEGI, Pan European Game Information
http://www.pegi.info/en/
How the rating/classifying is organised?
Co-regulation
– Public/private, stakeholders involved,
enforcement
– Nicam – Kijkwijzer The Netherlands:
http://www.kijkwijzer.nl/index.php?
How the rating/classifying is organised?
• Diversity of regulatory frameworks
• National approach
• See Comparative analysis
12 movies in Europe, May 2007
Ratings in 7 EU Countries
http://www.kijkwijzer.nl/pagina.php?id=30?
PEGI rating
Gambling
Games that encourage or teach
gambling
Sex
Game depicts nudity and/or sexual
behaviour or sexual references
Violence
Game contains depictions of violence
PEGI rating
Bad Language
Game contains bad language
Discrimination
Game contains depictions of,
or material which may encourage discrimination
Drugs
Game refers to or depicts the use of drugs
Fear
Game may be frightening or scary for young children
EU TV-Directive 1989/1997
Protection of minors (art. 22)
- Absolute ban
seriously damaging moral, physical, mental
development of minors, esp.
! pornography
! gratuitous violence
- Relative ban
damaging (..)
unless guarantees minors have no access
- time
- technically encoded
! Warning message (visual or auditive)
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TV and the protection of minors in EU:
an illustration
Sex & the City, 2007
On SBS – Vijf TV in Belgium
Complaint by father of two young children
Decision by Flemish Regulator of the Media
= Flemish Media Authority (FMA)
Sex & the City, FMA 3 April 2007
• Scenes harmful for development of sexual feelings
of persons under 12, as sexuality is associated with
pain and aggression.
• Sex & the City is rated + 12 by Kijkwijzer Nl.
Shown until 20.00 p.m. also children younger than
12 are regularly, in the family circle, watching
television.
• No auditory warning that next programme would
be harmful for children.
A legal-sociological approach
Competence
Institutions
Culture
Context
Market forces
That’s all Folks!