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BSA Report on Children’s Television Viewing: Cause for Alarm

May 8, 2008 by SPCS 2 Comments

Media Release: 8 May 2008

The Society is not surprised that over half the sample (56%) of more than 600 adult “primary caregivers” of children aged between six and 13, who were interviewed as part of a report into children’s television viewing habits; were unable to identify 8.30 p.m. as the time after which programmes that are NOT suitable for children are shown on television The report containing this statistic entitled Seen and Heard, dated 6 May 2008, was commissioned by the BSA – the Broadcasting Standards Authority.

In response, the Families Commission issued a media release, calling for the 8.30 p.m. “watershed time” – to be more widely publicised by broadcasters. But is this an adequate response if the Commission is truly concerned about certain so-called “adult-only” material – pornography, sexual violence, graphic violence, blasphemy and obscenity – being viewed, or potentially viewed, by tens of thousands of our country’s children and young persons every night of the year from 8.30 p.m. onwards? Society president John Mills says the Society says “it is a totally inadequate response” and notes “we have written to the Chief Commissioner, Dr Rajen Prasad, pointing this out and called for more effective solutions from him to the problem of children and young persons being exposed to unsuitable, morally corrosive and corrupting television content.”

The Society, together with Media Matters (formerly called Viewers for Television Excellence or VoTE), has been calling for some years for the “watershed time” to be moved from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. AND for this time to be more widely and regularly publicised by all television broadcasters. These organisations and many others, also want the BSA to deal properly with complaints over standards of taste and decency and enforce proper standards. Such calls appear to have fallen on deaf ears and have certainly not been supported by Families Commission with its 40 full-time equivalent staff funded by tax-payers.

VoTE and SPCS have pointed out that New Zealand has one of the earliest “watershed times” among OECD countries and a move, at least to 9 p.m., if not 9.30 p.m., would be a positive move in the right direction. “It would help safeguard our children and young persons from exposure to the corrupting, pernicious and morally corrosive influence of television violence, sleazy pornography and repetitive obscenity and profanity,” says Mr Mills. “Of course the change in the watershed time needs to be backed up with good communication to caregivers from responsible broadcasters and government agencies,” he adds.

Society executive director David Lane says…

“It is well-known to informed viewers that offensive and objectionable content, including obscenity, gratuitous sexually explicit material, sexual violence, etc. all regularly feature on free-to-air and paid television programmes from 8.30 p.m to 9.30 p.m. This so-called exclusive “adults-only” time slot is a farce as it is a time period during which a significant number, if not the majority of younger children aged from 11 to 13 years and young persons aged 14 to 17 years, are still up and actively watching TV or engaged in other activities in rooms where a TV is operating. Research commissioned by the BSA has been published that shows that the vast majority of children and young persons are indeed accessing television programmes during this time period when so-called “Adult only content” is screening,”

“The Society believes that the link between the repetitive, addictive and compulsive viewing by children and young persons of objectionable gratuitous content, is morally corrosive and its effect upon a number of vulnerable individuals, leads to violence, criminal activity, sexual dysfunctions etc” Lane says.

“The Ministry of Culture and Heritage has identified New Zealand as having the least regulated broadcasting system in the world,” says Mills “and David Lane has been responsible for putting together a Society submission on proposed changes to the regulatory environment to deal with changing digital media formats etc, which has been submitted to the Ministry.

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Filed Under: Broadcasting Standards Authority, Censorship & New Technology, Children's Television, Complaints to Broadcasters, Families Commission, Other, Television Violence

Comments

  1. Kieran says

    July 5, 2008 at 3:17 pm

    And yet you people got a R16 movie downgraded to R13 despite violence.

    I think you are hypocrites!

    Reply
  2. SPCS says

    July 7, 2008 at 1:10 pm

    Kieran, SPCS are NOT hypocrites as you assert. With respect, it appears that you do not understand the process of classification review or the true nature of and level of violence that is considered by the censors and the general public, to be injurious to the public good. The nine member Board of Review, an independant statutory body, examined the content of the film you alude to – END OF THE SPEAR – de novo (afresh: independent of the Chief Censor’s Office decision) and concluded in a unanimous decision, that the level of ‘violence’ did NOT warrant an R16 classification, but rather an R13 classification. The Society applauds this decision as fair-minded.

    Have you even seen the film? If not, then on what basis can you claim you judgment and allegation against the Society is fair-minded and acccurate? If you have seen the film then please explain logically and coherently why seeking a lower rating for the film makes the SPCS hypocrites?

    As the Society pointed out to the Board, many unrestricted G-rated films like the childen’s classic “Treasure Island”, (any child can legally watch it), contain elements of violence, but it is not gratuitous or of a degree that it would be considered harmful in any way to children. Likewise many M-rated films like “Dancing With Wolves” which is not restricted and has an M rating (recommended for mature audiences aged 16 years and older)contain some moderate and stronger levels of violence, of a much higher level than anythng seen in “END OF THE SPEAR”.

    The Society refutes your assertion that it is hypocritical in seeking a review of END OF THE SPEAR. The Society seeks to promote “freedom of expression” within reasonable boundaries prescribed by law. Please view its objectives on its homepage.

    The Chief Censor’s Office was found by the Board to have got it wrong in its assessment of the true level of ‘violence’ in END OF THE SPEAR. The Board’s descriptive note of this reclassified R13 film is helpful in alerting parents to the nature of this film (“some scenes may disturb”). Parents and caregivers are expected to show responsibility over what their children watch. They break the law if they allow children under 13 years of age to watch a film rated R13.

    SPCS Admin

    Reply

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