Playing the Nutters’ Game…Nintendo implement an internet watershed and ban access to 18 rated game info until 11pm

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See article from eurogamer.net

Nintendo of Europe is blocking access to 18-rated content on the Wii U eShop at certain times of day, system messages suggest. For most of the day users are unable to access trailers for 18-rated Wii U games or buy 18-related content. Nintendo of Italy replied to a user who asked about being blocked: Dear customer, we would like to let you know that Nintendo has always aimed to offer gameplay experiences suited to all age groups, observing carefully all the relevant regulations regarding content access that are present in the various European countries. We have thus decided to restrict the access to content which is unsuitable to minors (PEGI) to the 11pm – 3am time window. Eurogamer has just tested this and it appears to be true. We were unable to access Assassin’s Creed 3 information or buy ZombiU digitally.

Some Serious Censure…Ofcom whinges at the occasional instances of strong language that accidentally slip out before the watershed

Read more Ofcom Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article [pdf] from stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk See article from dailymail.co.uk

Ofcom have a regular whinge at strong language that slips out before the watershed. Broadcasters usually explain the accidental slip up. The latest examples are; Road Wars Pick TV, 11 January 2012, 18:00 Road Wars is a fly-on-the-wall documentary featuring the work of traffic police squads in the UK and USA. The licence for Pick TV is held by British Sky Broadcasting Ltd (Sky or the Licensee). Ofcom was alerted to offensive language in this broadcast by two complainants. During this episode, a man was arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs and taken to a police station. On the way to the station, the man became violent and during an altercation that followed he used offensive language. The words fuck or fucking were broadcast five times. Ofcom considered Rule 1.14 of the Code, which states: The most offensive language must not be broadcast before the watershed…. Sky apologised for any offence caused to viewers by the broadcast of offensive language in this programme. The Licensee said that upon discovering the incident it launched an immediate investigation and concluded that the broadcast of this post- watershed version of Road Wars resulted from human error. Hanging Up Sony Entertainment Television, 29 January 2012, 20:00 Hanging Up is a comedy drama in which three dysfunctional sisters clash over who should take on the burden of looking after their ailing father. The film has been given a 15 certificate rating by the BBFC. A complainant alerted Ofcom to the use of the word fucking in this broadcast of the film. Approximately 40 minutes into the film there is the following interchange between sisters Maddy and Eve: Maddy: I’ve told you a million times, stop talking to me as if I’m like you! Eve: Oh, fuck you! [turns to another character] And fuck you! Sony said that the unedited version of this film carried a restriction that should have automatically prevented it from being scheduled before 9pm, but that a software upgrade on 5 November had disabled a block automatically preventing this post-watershed content from being scheduled before the watershed. Ofcom concluded in both cases that the words ‘fuck’ and ‘fucking’ broadcast before the watershed were a clear breach of Rule 1.14. Ofcom Warning to Broadcasters Ofcom further decided to publish a general warning to broadcasters against ‘fucking’ accidents Ofcom has recently noted a number of cases where material which was originally produced for a post-watershed timeslot has been transmitted unedited or inappropriately edited for transmission pre-watershed or when children are particularly likely to be listening. This material often contains unsuitable language or violence. In such cases broadcasters frequently explain that such failures have occurred as a result of transmission and/or human errors. All broadcasters are reminded that they are under a clear duty to ensure that robust procedures are in place, supported by a sufficient number of appropriately qualified and trained staff, to ensure full compliance with the Code. All broadcasters must check their compliance procedures regularly to confirm they are effective enough to fulfil this requirement. Failure to have adequate procedures in place to ensure compliance with Ofcom’s codes is a serious matter. Ofcom recently made clear that it expects broadcasters to exercise particular care in relation to the protection of children and the compliance of material broadcast before the watershed on television, and on radio when children are particularly likely to be listening. Broadcasters are put on notice that any serious or repeated failings in this area are likely to result in Ofcom taking further regulatory action, for example, the consideration of the imposition of statutory sanctions The Daily Mail prodded Vivienne Pattison of Mediawatch-uk for a sound bite: I’m really glad that Ofcom is taking it seriously because it is something we have brought up with them. What I would really like to see is for them to show teeth and rather than a rap on the knuckles I would like to see some serious censure. We need real and meaningful sanctions. I think what people want is a regulator with teeth that can show some leadership and be taken seriously.’

Pandering to the Easily Offended…Broadcasters told to be more careful about sexy content around the time of the watershed

Read more Ofcom Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See press release from media.ofcom.org.uk See Protecting the Under-Eighteens: Observing the watershed on television and music videos [pdf] from stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk

Ofcom has issued new guidance on the TV watershed, warning broadcasters to be more careful about programmes they show before 9pm that could be unsuitable for children or the easily offended. The new guidance follows a series of recent meetings with broadcasters to ensure they are clear about the censorship rules compliance that Ofcom expects from them. The new guidance outlines how broadcasters must comply with the Broadcasting Code rules for pre-watershed content, with specific focus on: Programmes broadcast before and soon after the watershed; and Music videos broadcast before the watershed. Broadcasters are expected to pay particular attention to family viewing programmes, trailers and soaps. Ofcom advises broadcasters to take particular care with post-watershed content which has been edited for pre-watershed viewing, for example by masking or editing offensive language. Surveying the easily offended Ofcom have also published a new survey about viewing ‘concerns’. For example, fewer parents are now concerned about the TV programmes their children watch (31%) than they were in 2009 (36%). Ofcom also measures parents’ views about the time of the watershed and the amount of TV regulation. 77% of parents think the watershed is at the right time, and 73% believe the amount of censorship of television is about right. The new research found that the majority (58%) of parents surveyed were not concerned by what their children had watched on television before 9pm in the last 12 months. One quarter (24%) of the parents surveyed said they were fairly concerned, although fewer than one in ten (9%) said they were very concerned. 21% of all parents surveyed mentioned concerns about nudity or sexual content, one in five (20%) were concerned about violence, and one in six (17%) had concerns about offensive language. Just under a quarter (23%) of teenagers surveyed said that over the past 12 months they had seen something on TV before the watershed that had made them uncomfortable or had offended them.

Mediawatch Bullshit…Vivienne Pattison urges a watershed for radio

Read more Mediawatch-UK Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

Perhaps notable that this is the first sound bite from Pattison for some time. See article from express.co.uk

The nutters of Mediawatch-UK have urged the BBC to introduced a TV style watershed for radio. This was in response to Radio 4′s Today programme repeatedly used the words bullshit and bastards during a recorded item. The words were spoken to illustrate a report about the abuse aimed at academics researching chronic fatigue syndrome or ME. The item, introduced with no warning by regular presenter Sarah Montague, said researchers who suggested ME might be a mental illness had been subjected to a hate campaign. Actors used to read the e-mails from sufferers quoted: Those of you responsible for preventing us sick ME sufferers getting the help we need, wasting £5million on flawed bullshit, you will all pay.  Another said: How are you evil bastards going to explain away another piece of evidence? Sister station Five Live aired the same report but warned listeners beforehand. As the BBC launched an investigation following complaints, Radio 4 insisted the words were essential and Today listeners could cope without a warning. The written version on BBC online did not mention the swearwords and neither did TV bulletins later in the day. Mediawatch-UK said that was because television is banned from using swearwords before 9pm, while radio is freer to broadcast abuse at any time. Director Vivienne Pattison said that made no sense and the loophole should be closed. She said she frequently had to leap across the room to switch off her radio to prevent her children hearing words of adult content aired during the day. Pattison said: The BBC is somewhat of a repeat offender on this issue. There isn’t a watershed on radio and it’s time we had one. Ofcom’s research finds too much swearing is being broadcast. People don’t like it. Two Tory MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport select committee have backed the call for a radio watershed Therese Coffey was not even aware there was no watershed. She said: It strikes me as being inconsistent. There’s no expectation of hearing that kind of language at that time and I’m sure people would have been shocked. Her colleague Philip Davies added: The lack of a watershed is an anomaly that needs to be addressed. A spokesman for the Today programme said: E-mails including abusive language were included in the report to demonstrate the level of intimidation involved in the campaign. We felt this was editorially justified.