REGULATORY AND PROFESSIONAL BODIES WITHIN THE CREATIVE

MEDIA SECTOR

Kelsey Keighley

Task 3 Understand the Regulation of the Media Sector

British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) The BBFC is guide to media content that is trusted. They

work as an independent, self-financing and not-for-profit media content regulator. The BBFC operates transparent consistent, trusted co-regulatory and self regulatory classification and labelling systems in the UK.

They are highly experienced and their mission is to protect the public (especially children) from any content that could raise harmful ricks. To empower the public (especially parents) to make viewing choices recohniseable and respect their freedom. Respond and reflect changing socal attitudes towads the media content through public consultation and research. Also provide an effective service to enforcement agensies.

PEGI Pegi stands for Pan European Game Information. It is a

company that considers the age of suitablity of a game, not the level of difficulty.

Age rating systems are used to ensure that the enertaintment content such as films, videos, DVD's and computer games are clearly labelled by age according to the content they contain. They provide guidance to consumers to help them whether of not the product is suitable.

37% of the population in the UK aged between 16 - 49 describe themselves as 'active gamers'. The rating shown on the game confirms that it is suitbale for a player over a certain age, depending on content of the game depends on the age shown. A PEGI 7 game is only suitable for players aged 7+ and a PEGI 18 is only suitbale forplayers 18+.

Film Distributors Association The FDA is a trade body for theatrical film distributors in the

UK. These are the people that release films for the UK cinema audiences. Originally they were estabished in 1915. The FDA cooperate with many individuals, companies and organisations. They prepresent a distribution stance in regular representations and consultations with the UK film coucil, government and other trade organisations in the film industry.

They are also a founder member of AIM (All Industry Marketing for Cinema). This company is a generic marketing body that helpy to increased and broaden the UK cinema audience.

The FDA also works with the industry's on going efforts to tackle film privacy and theft. They are members of FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft) and the alliance of IP theft.

Video Standards Council (VSC) Established in 1989 the VSC is a non-profit body, it also

supports anit-piracy activities . It is the second PEGI administrator and is based in the UK. It checks mostly higher age games (12, 16,18) ratings against the PEGI criteria.

The VSC is a standard body for the video and video game industries, it has the code of practice to ensure that both industries show a duty of care whilst dealing with customers and the public.

The code of practice rules are a mixture of the law, proper business practices and common sense. It provides it's retailer members with a staff training course also, dealing with age restricted videos, DVD's and video games.

Office for Communication (Ofcom)

OfCom stands for The Office of Communications. It's a government approved regulatory authority that regulates the telecommunication industry in the UK. It was established as an act of parliament in 2002 under the Communications Act of 2002. OfCom regulates TV, radio, fixed line telecoms, mobiles and wireless device airwaves.

It’s main priority is to regulate and gather complaints from all forms of media one of the latest scandals was a paddy power advert for the Oscar pistoriuos trial.

Trading Standards Central

In 2010 TSC created a manifesto to provide a profile of trading standards

TS Manifesto Trading Standards

Experts 'on the beat', implementing national policy to support fair and competitive markets, honest enterprise and good business.

Protecting standards, an on-the-ground activity that is vital to the livelihoods and safety of our communities.

A friend to the consumer, an advisor to businesses and the scourge of the scammer, rip-off merchant and serious organised crime.

A brand reassuring to consumers and business alike and an integral part of consumer, citizen and business confidence.

Press ComplaintsCommission (PCC)

The PCC deals with complaints from members of the public. It is an independent body which administers the system of self-regulation for the press. The purpose of the PCC is to serve the public by holding editors to account. They protect the rights of individuals, whilst also preserving appropriate freedom of expression from the press.

http://www.pcc.org.uk/cop/practice.html

This is a link to the steps the PCC take when pressing charges against a person or company.

Advertising Standards Authority(ASA). ASA involves a role to regulate the content of adverts, sales

promotions and direct marketing in the UK, by investigating complaints made about the adverts, and deciding whether the adverts complies with the advertising standards codes.

The codes stipulate that before distributing or submitting a marketing communication or publication. Marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation. Also no marketing communication should mislead or be likely to mislead by inaccuracy exaggeration or omission otherwise. Anyone can ask the ASA to investigate an advert.

If there is a problem with it, the authority can tell the company to change or remove it.

Oscar Pistorious Trial / Paddy Power

On august 19th 2013 Oscar pistoriuos was officially charged with the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp as the trial started Paddy Power placed an advert in the national papers offering odds on whether Oscar pistoriuos was innocent or guilty within days there were millions of complaints over the advert and it’s insensitivity and in due course was removed from circulation paddy power did issue an apology for the advert and were fined.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/oscar-pistorius/10759350/Oscar-Pistorius-murder-trial-live.html

References……..