Media Release 3/02/06
The Society executive has requested the following information today from the Chief Censor, Bill Hastings, in an Official Information Request, marked “URGENT”. (1) Basic data on gender, ethnicity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation for all those employed as classification officers, information unit and complaints officers in the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC); and (2) Basic data on the above demographics for members of the executive of the OFLC (Chief Censor and Deputy Chief Censor). The request notes:
“We request the same information in these categories as determined by the OFLC commissioned Reports on the [110] viewers of “sexually explicit material”: e.g. Religious Affiliation: None: Christian: Other (with breakdown). No names required. We do not require details of “languages spoken” or “range of ages” as this information has been helpfully disclosed by the Office in the 2004 Annual Report (p. 111) and 2005 Annual Report (p. 85). Nor do we need to know how many staff are parents or grandparents as helpfully disclosed in the 2005 Annual Report (p. 85).
“The Society requests this information (1 & 2 above) under urgency: S. 12(3) of the Official Information Act requires us to give a reason for urgency: it is that the term of Office of the Deputy Chief Censor expired on 16 September 2005 and the Society wishes to put its case to the Minister for a replacement of the incumbent (Ms Nicola McCully). The demographic data requested in relation to the make-up of the OFLC is one aspect that we wish to address in our submission to the Minister. We wish to make this submission as soon as possible. We estimate that the data requested can be gathered and supplied very easily with minimal time involved.”
Major Research studies commissioned by the Chief Censor’s Office from 2001 to 2005, all reported to parliament in the Office’s Annual Reports, reveal a wealth of personal information gleaned from all members of the public interviewed by researchers, concerning their regular viewing habits in relation to “sexually explicit material” [titles listed include mostly hard core pornography]. The Office clearly felt it was essential that all participants be asked to reveal their gender, ethnicity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, living arrangements and other personal matters, as background for the Classification Office’s records.
A copy of the Society’s letter, copied below (see appendix), explains why such questions need to be put to, and answered, by the Chief Censor in relation to his own staff, including his Deputy, Ms Nicola McCully. The Society believes that members of the public, MPs and especially the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. Rick Barker, should be aware of these demographic data.
APPENDIX
Copy of letter dated 3 February 2006.
Mr Bill Hastings
Chief Censor of Film and Literature
Office of Film and Literature Classification
Wellington
3 February 2006
Dear Mr Hastings
Official Information Request
Background
The research project discussed under the heading “Quality” in the Annual Report 2004 of the Office of Film and Literature Classification (p. 104) was “designed and produced to agreed specifications”. The Classification Office sought to “explore the viewing habits and attitudes of frequent users of sexually explicit material” and the sample of individuals whose views were recorded and analysed was “small, localised and self selected”. The Office clearly knew before embarking on the research that findings based on such a small sample and one that was self-selecting could have no statistical rigour and therefore could never provide any meaningful or definitive conclusions. As noted, the findings could not be used to make any generalised statements about the viewing habits of those New Zealanders who choose to regularly watch this type of “explicit material”.
Clearly the Classification Office staff felt it was very important to research the “demographic characteristics of the sample” and these data were presented in the Annual Report tabled in parliament in 2005. The Report is available on the OFLC website:
http://www.censorship.govt.nz/pdfword/SEM%20research%202005.pdf
Kingi, Venezia, Elisabeth Popplewell The Viewing Habits of Users of Sexually Explicit Movies: A Hawkes Bay Sample, Report for the Office of Film and Literature Classification December 2005. Wellington, N.Z.: Office of Film and Literature Classification, 2005.
The above Report compares results with findings from an earlier OFLC study:
Kingi, Venezia, Elisabeth Popplewell and Judy Paulin. The Viewing Habits of Users of Sexually Explicit Movies. Report for the Office of Film and Literature Classification July 2004. Wellington, N.Z.: Office of Film and Literature Classification, 2004.
http://www.censorship.govt.nz/pdfword/Research2004.pdf
The OFLC Research Report dated December 2005, involving Hawke’s Bay participants, compares results with findings from the earlier study (2004) involving Wellington participants. The Combined sample size of “self-selected frequent viewers of sexually explicit material [videos and DVDs]” was 110 (Wellington + Hawke’s Bay samples).
The Chief Censor comments on the combined sample size (N=110) in his foreword (p. 4) states:
“Although the sample size is too small and self-selected to be broadly representative, the researchers conclude that this report provides a good indication of the direction future research in this area should take”. [Emphasis added]
We wish to highlight the nature of the personal information sought from participants in this tax-payer funded research. Information was sought by the OFLC and recorded from all participants, on their gender/sex, “ethnicity”, “sexual orientation”, “religious affiliation”, and “living arrangements” among other things.
Copied below from Table 2.1 (Report 2005) is the data gathered in some of these categories
Table 2.1
Wellington Sample N=46
Sex
39 (85%) male
6 (13%) female
1 (2%) identified as neither male nor female.
Ethnicity
30 (65%) NZ European
6 (13%) Maori
10 (15%) Other
Sexual orientation
42 (91%) Heterosexual
1 (2%) Bisexual
1 (2%) Lesbian or Gay
2 (5%) Other (“asexual” [1]; “heterosexual and curious bisexual” [1])
Religious affiliation
37 (80%) None
7 (15%) Christian (Mormon, Methodist, Catholic, Anglican).
2 (4%) Other
Hawke’s Bay Sample (N=65)
Sex
48 (74%) male
17 (26%) female
Ethnicity
43 (66%) NZ European
12 (19%) Maori
10 (15%) Other
Sexual orientation
48 (75%) heterosexual
11 (17%) bisexual
5 (8%) Lesbian or Gay
(0%) Other
[one person gave no answer]
Religious affiliation
43 (66%) None
18 (28%) Christian (Mormon, Methodist, Catholic, Anglican).
4 (6%) Other (including Wicca [2], Buddhist [1] and Hare Krishna/Jehovah’s Witness [1])
In Section 2.7 of the 2005 Report the living arrangements of the total sample (N = 110) is summarised.
Living Arrangements (Section 2.7)
49 (75%) In a Current relationship
31 (63%) lived with their partner
26 (27%) Lived with flatmates
3 (5%) Lived alone.
In another Research Report commissioned By The Office Of Film And Literature Classification, entitled Public consultation on sexually explicit videos by Ms Helena Barwick (June 2001), the same personal information was been gathered from the 145 viewers of sexually explicit videos.
Section 3.0 (p. 9)
1. Gender of Audience
Women 77 (33%)
Men 67 (46%)
No response 1 (1%)
2. Ethnicity of Audience
Pakeha New Zealander 108 (74%)
Maori 11 (8%)
Pacific 5 (3%)
Other ethnicity 10 (7%)
More than one of above 10 (7%)
No response 1 (1%)
Total 145 (100%)
3. Sexual Orientation of Audience
Heterosexual 135 (93%)
Bisexual 2 (1%)
Gay or Lesbian 2 (1%)
No response 6 (4%)
Total 145 (100%)
4. Do Members of Audience Have a Religious Affiliation?
Yes 55 (38%)
No 88 (61%)
No response 2 (1%)
Total 145 (100%)
In all these studies (2001, 2004 & 2005) it is clear that the Classification Office has “designed and produced” all questionaires used by researchers, “to agreed specifications” as stated. The Classification Office has been intimately involved in all the procedural aspects of these inquiries as noted. Therefore the New Zealand public, who have funded this research, are entitled to conclude that the questions put to all participants regarding ethnicity, sexual orientation, sex, religious affiliation, living arrangements; must be important to the Office in its assessment of the impact etc. of the viewing of sexually explicit films on the persons consulted.
The OFLC commissioned a review of research into the effects of exposure to sexually explicit films and videos in 2002/2003 that is reported on in the Annual Report 2003 (pp. 58-65; 105-107)
A Guide to the Research into the efects of Sexually Explicit Films and Videos. Commissioned by the Office of Film and Literature Classification. By Helena Barwich June 2003
http://www.censorship.govt.nz/pdfword/research_document_2003.pdf
The Society has consulted widely on these matters and formed the view that if it is so important to the Classification Office to attempt to determine the ethnicity, sexual orientation etc. of viewers of such sexually explicit material; it is equally or perhaps even more relevant for the public to be informed on such matters in relation to those charged with the statutory duty of classifying such material and trying to safeguarding the public good from injury, especially young persons and children.
The Crown Entities Act 2004 requires Ministers, in making statutory appointments to Crown entity boards, to take account of the desirability of ensuring that a board reflects a “diverse” (and thereby balanced) demographic make-up (membership).
s. 29 (2)(b) “… in appointing or recommending an appointment, must take into account the desirability of promoting diversity in the membership of Crown entities.”
This is particularly relevant in the membership of the Classification Office – A Crown Entity. Those responsible for making censorship decisions must serve the public good and be faithful to the task of upholding community standards as embodied in relevant censorship law. We are happy to expand on these matters if the Office wishes to seeks further clarification on our views.
Specific Official Information Request to the Chief Censor
The Society Executive requests the following information:
1. Basic data on gender, ethnicity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation for all those employed as classification officers, information unit and complaints officers in the OFLC.
2. Basic data on the above demographics for members of the executive of the OFLC (Chief Censor and Deputy Chief Censor).
Note: We request the same information in these categories as determined by the OFLC commissioned Reports on the viewers of “sexually explicit material”: e.g. Religious Affiliation: None: Christian: Other (with breakdown). No names required. We do not require details of “languages spoken” or “range of ages” as this information has been helpfully disclosed by the Office in the 2004 Annual Report (p. 111) and 2005 Annual Report (p. 85). Nor do we need to know how many staff are parents or grandparents as helpfully disclosed in the 2005 Annual Report (p. 85).
The Society requests this information (1 & 2 above) under urgency: S. 12(3) of the Official Information Act requires us to give a reason for urgency: it is that the term of Office of the Deputy Chief Censor expired on 16 September 2005 and the Society wishes to put its case to the Minister for a replacement of the incumbent (Ms Nicola McCully). The demographic data requested in relation to the make-up of the OFLC is one aspect that we wish to address in our submission to the Minister. We wish to make this submission as soon as possible. We estimate that the data requested can be gathered and supplied very easily with minimal time involved.
SPCS P.O. Box 13-683 Johnsonville
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