Cyprus Big Brother Query

garbitsch · lecturer

That's silly though.. Especially the US censorship laws are the worst. Like, you cannot see Bjork's tits in "Pagan Poetry" video in MTV, but I watched the same video without censoring in one of the Turkish channels during the day time!!! I am not saying Turkish laws are less taugher, but it's still weird you know....

As for the BB, I really get annoyed by the bird sound.

erolz · lecturer

For anyone intertested the UK's broadcasting standards commision code on standards can be found here (in pdf format). The code are guidlines for brioacasters in the UK. There is no direct censorship (programmes being screened before tramsmition and granted permission or not for broadcast) but broacasters operate in the UK under government licesene and repaeated breach of the guidelines can lead to this lisence being removed.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/bsc/pdfs/research/Standards%20Code.pdf

couple of extracts

on the watershed

"Scheduling

The composition of audiences of open access channels changes throughout
the day, and the content of broadcasts reflects this. At certain times, parents will want to be confident that their children can watch or listen to programmes without the risk of being exposed to disturbing material. At other times, there will be more challenging material. The majority of parents accept that they are expected to take greater control over the choice of their children’s viewing after the Watershed.
Some events have such a strong impact on the public that broadcasters have to alter their schedules in order to be responsive to the public mood. Therefore careful consideration should be given to the broadcast and scheduling of programmes after such events. Special consideration is given to the child audience in other sections of the Code.

The Watershed
The television Watershed, which starts at 2100 and lasts until 0530, is well
established as a scheduling marker to distinguish clearly between programmes intended to be suitable for family viewing and those intended primarily for adults. Broadcasters have a clear duty to give sufficient information about the nature and content of programmes to allow parents to make an informed judgment on a programme’s suitability for their children to see or hear. (See also INFORMING AND WARNING)
The majority of adults are aware of the Watershed and its significance. Parents need also to be aware that some programming during the day might not be suitable for unaccompanied viewing by all children, particularly from 1900 until 2100. The child audience covers a wide age range, from very young children to adolescents, and even some children’s programmes or news programmes may be unsuitable for younger child audiences.
Broadcasters should bear in mind that children may well continue to watch
programmes which start before 2100 and run through the Watershed."

On swearing

"Swearing and Offensive Language

Language is never static; words acquire new meanings and interpretations,
and levels of offence undergo constant change. The impact of particular words can differ between generations, as well as between different tones of voice. The repeated use of expletives can cause significantly greater offence than isolated incidents which are justified by the context. A study of the relevant research will clearly indicate where the areas of concern lie.
Racist terms and terms mocking disability and mental illness have come to
be regarded as deeply offensive, overtaking some traditional terms of abuse. Broadcasters should also be alert to the use of derogatory terms originating from religious affiliation and sexual orientation. Broadcasters should be sensitive to the offence caused to the majority by these words, as well as to the minorities directly affected.

Where the language can be justified, the majority of the audience favours the use of a later transmission time rather than editing, particularly for films. The paramount concern of most adults is for children. In research conducted by the Commission, most respondents said that all programmes shown before the Watershed should contain language suitable for a family audience. Respondents were also concerned about the use of swearing by those whom children take as role models, for example, footballers or pop stars. Particular vigilance should be
exercised in the hour before the Watershed.
The most senior levels of broadcasting management should approve the use of the strongest swearwords at any time. There is rarely ever any justification for the use on television of offensive language before the Watershed. Most people also believe that advertisements should not contain strong language at any time.
While no radio Watershed exists, the use of words that give particular offence should be overseen at senior levels within the broadcasting organisations. Broadcasters must be alert to, and guard against, the use of such language in live programmes."