BBFC

6) What challenges the BBFC has going forwards, how it's role has changed?


The BBFC was founded in 1912. The chief censor in the 1940's and 1950's was Arthur Watkins. The BBFC has changed since it was founded as the regulations are now more flexible due to society changing over the years.

Laslo Benedek’s 1953 film was one of the most controversial of its era, as it was released in the time of a ‘moral panic’.  Post war American and British teenagers alarmed their elders in a way that was probably unprecedented and from which we still see some of the ripples in popular culture today.  The 1950s was a time of profound social change and the experience of what it meant to be young was transformed, as many of the old certainties and habits disappeared in the new consumer age.  Indeed, the notion of the ‘teenager’, with his or her own clothes, music and interests, was largely a post war creation. 

Brando, as Johnny Strabler, leads the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club into a peaceful American town, and terrorises the inhabitants with their machismo antics and disaffected attitudes.  One of the film’s most famous scenes features Brando looking on insouciantly as gang members dance to a juke box in a diner they have taken over. ‘What are you rebelling against Johnny?’ a girl asks him.  ‘Waddaya got?’ drawls the handsome young star. It was such apparently antisocial attitudes that thrilled young audiences and appalled their elders. The film was banned by the BBFC upon its release here and remained so (except for screenings in film societies where local councils overturned the BBFC’s decision) until 1967 when it was released with an X certificate (suitable for 16 year olds and above).

Two Key pieces of legislation that govern how the BBFC works as a regulator are the Obscene Publication Act and the Video Recording Act. The Obscene publication Act is the law that makes it an offence to publish, whether for gain or not, any content whose effect will tend to "deprave and corrupt" those likely to read, see or hear the matter contained. The Video Recording Act The Video Recordings Act 1984 requires videos in physical formats such as DVDs and Blu-ray discs to be classified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) before they can be sold in the UK. It is an offence to sell products rated BBFC ’12’ or higher to anyone not meeting the age requirement. However, many products which are primarily about music, sports, religion or education are exempt from this requirement. Following a full public consultation, Government has been taking forward new Video Recordings Act 1984 (Exempted Video Works) Regulations 2014 so that music, sports, religion and education products will have to be classified by the BBFC in future if they contain material unsuitable for younger children. The Regulations were approved by Parliament in July and come into force on 1 October 2014. Government will be working closely with industry and enforcement agencies over the coming months to help ensure that businesses fully understand the new classification requirements and are able to put any necessary arrangements in place.

The BBFC is different today than it was at other times in it's history as for example In 1999, the BBFC embarked on an extensive consultation process to gauge public opinion before the compilation of new Guidelines for age ratings. The process involved a series of public presentations across the UK, two Citizens' Juries, surveys and questionnaires. Also, Ofcom became the new regulator for television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services. The regulation of films, videos and DVDs did not fall under Ofcom's remit and remained the responsibility of the BBFC. Another reason is because in 2002, the new 12A rating replaced the 12 rating for film only, and allows children under 12 to see a 12A film, provided that they are accompanied throughout by an adult. 

The BBFC classifies and rates films today by using 6 different age ratings. This includes U which stands for Universal and should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over, although it is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child. PG is another rating which stands for Parental Guidance which means it is for general viewing but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. Then there is a 12A rating and a 12 rating. 12 contain material which is not generally suited for any child under the age of 12. No one younger than 12 will be able to see a 12A film at a cinema without being accompanied by an adult. a 15 is only suitable for someone 15 years and over and an 18 rated is suitable only for adults. The way the BBFC classify and rate films to put them in certain age categories is through factors such as Discrimination, Drugs, Imitable behaviour, Language , nudity, sex, threat and violence and to what extent these factors go to. 

The challenges the BBFC face many problems such as streaming platforms for example Netflix as anyone can watch any age rating if the app doesn't have parental control.


The Video Nasties

BBFC information

1.       What year was the BBFC founded? 

1912

2.       What was the original name of the BBFC?

 British Board of Film Censors

 3.       Who actually had power to license and screen films, regardless of the BBFC’s advice? (This power was given by the 1909 cinematograph act)

 Local Authority

 4.       What were the first two age certificates given? 

U and A

5.       How many reasons did T.P O’Connor list upon which a film could be ‘deleted’?

43

Organisations

BBFC- The BBFC publishes short but detailed information about all the films and videos we rate. This is called BBFCinsight. It gives parents a clear idea of how and why films have been rated and what issues the films contain. 
BBFCinsight helps parents, carers and other viewers make informed choices about what they watch. It is displayed under the title and running time for each film.

OFCOM- Communication regulater in the UK. 

- Regulate the TV and the radio sectors, fixed line telecoms, mobiles.

- The board is the main decision making body.

IPSO- The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) is the independent regulator for the newspaper and magazine industry in the UK. They hold newspapers and magazines to account for their actions, protect individual rights, uphold high standards of journalism and help to maintain freedom of expression for the press.

• They make sure that member newspapers and magazines follow the Editors' Code.
• They investigate complaints about printed and online material that may breach the Editors’ Code.
• IPSO is financed by the Regulatory Funding Company (RFC) which is funded by member publications. IPSO carries out its work separately and completely independently from its members.

IMPRESS- They are blazing a trail for a fairer, better kind of press regulation. They award a trusted journalism mark to news publishers who meet our standards. They give these publishers the freedom to report hard-hitting stories, and ensure they behave fairly if complaints are made against them. They have the power to decide on complaints which publishers cannot resolve.

ASA- The Advertising Standards Authority is the UK’s independent regulator of advertising across all media. They apply the Advertising Codes, which are written by the Committees of Advertising Practice.

VSC- The Video Standards Council. They offer membership to anyone supplying age restricted video products in the UK.  Their members abide by a Code of Practice designed to promote high standards within the video industry, ensuring DVDs and Games are provided to the public in a responsible manner. 

BBC TRUST- Their job is to get the best out of the BBC for licence fee payers. They set the strategic direction of the BBC.  They hold the Executive to account for its performance of its functions, and for its compliance with the law, with regulatory requirements, and with the policies, guidelines and codes that they set.