REGULATORY ISSUES WITH THREE DIFFERENT

MEDIA PRODUCTSCHARMAINE HARRIS

TEXAS CHAINSAW (2013)• THE BBFC HAD RATED THIS FILM AN 18, THIS MEANS THAT

THE CONTENT IN THE MOVIE IS ONLY SUITABLE FOR PEOPLE AGED 18 AND OVER.

• A 20 SECOND TV-AD WAS CLEARED BY CLEARCAST WITH A POST-9PM RESTRICTION, THIS IS BECAUSE YOUNG CHILDREN WOULD BE IN BED AND SLEEPING SO WOULDN’T SEE IT.

• HOWEVER THE ASA RECEIVED 73 COMPLAINTS, WHICH INCLUDED; COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE AD BEING DISTRESSING, HARMFUL, OFFENSIVE AND INAPPROPRIATELY SCHEDULED, ONE COMPLAINT WAS THAT THE POSTER AD WAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE PUBLIC.

TEXAS CHAINSAW (2013)• THE ASA THEN REACTED ON THE COMPLAINTS.

• THEY GAVE THE AD A POST-11PM RESTRICTION IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF CAUSING OFFENCE OR DISTRESS TO SOME ADULTS.

HOME ALONE (1990)• THE BBFC HAD RATED HOME ALONE A PG, THIS

MEANS THAT THE FILM IS SUITABLE FOR GENERAL VIEWING, HOWEVER SOME SCENE MAY BE UNSUITABLE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.

• A PG FILM SHOULDN’T UNSETTLE A CHILD AROUND THE AGE OF EIGHT OR OLDER. THE REASON HOME ALONE IS A PG IS BECAUSE THE FILM CONTAINS SOME SLAPSTICK VIOLENCE AND INFREQUENT MODERATE LANGUAGE.

ABDUCTION (2011)• THE BBFC HAD RATED ABDUCTION A 12A.

• THIS MEANS THAT THE FILM IS NOT GENERALLY SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12. NO CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 12 IS ALLOWED TO SEE A 12A FILM UNLESS THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.

• ADULTS THAT TAKE A CHILD UNDER 12 TO SEE A 12A FILM NEED TO CONSIDER IF THE FILM WILL BE SUITABLE FOR THEIR CHILD.

• THE REASON ABDUCTION IS RATED A 12A IS BECAUSE IT CONTAINS FREQUENT MODERATE VIOLENCE AND THREATS AND THERE IS ONE USE OF STRONG LANGUAGE.

ABDUCTION (2011)• THE ASA RECEIVED A COMPLAINT AFTER THE TRAILER FOR

ABDUCTION WAS ADVERTISED BEFORE AN ANIMATED CLIP ON YOUTUBE CALLED ‘THE DUCK SONG’.

• THE COMPLAINT CHALLENGED WHETHER THE AD WAS IRRESPONSIBLE BECAUSE IT HAD APPEARED BEFORE A CHILDS CLIP.

• THE ASA SAID THAT THE SOUNDS OF SHOOTING, EXPLOSIONS AND PUNCHING WERE UNSUITABLE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN. THEY NOTED THAT YOUTUBE USERS HAVE TO BE 13 TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT HOWEVER CONTENT IS AVAILABLE TO WATCH FOR ALL INTERNET USERS.

• THE ASA GOT THE AD REMOVED OFF OF YOUTUBE AND TOLD LIONSGATE THAT IT COULD BE REPLACED WITH A MORE SUITABLE AD.