Dear Chairperson of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa,
I am writing to lodge a further complaint about the one referenced below. I have included the response from the original complaint in this email.
I have submitted this original complaint to various media channels and received letters and responses from people who are in agreement with this complaint (I have included one from our local newspaper and one from a blog sight).
I have reviewed the information given and agree that your commission is not a regulatory board for the age restrictions on the movie being shown. I do understand that advertising an age restricted movie with the proper warnings is what is required by the broadcasters. I also understand that my complaint will not stop them from broadcasting age restricted material.
Unfortunately I do not have the resources to do an extensive study, but,
1. The average 16 year old child has already seen 50,000 beer commercials by the time they are 16 (this is a study from 2001).
2. Based on the limited discussions I have had, only children under the age of 10 are in bed by 20h00.
3. The average 16 year old is still up by as late as 22h00 at night. This is due to parents working longer hours, internet usage and the society changing to be more media driven.
4. Approximately 70% of South Africa is under the age of 25 (recent census information advertised on SABC).
5. South Africa is considered to have the highest rate of violent crime, rape and divorce rates in the Africa and the world I think.
6. Children in schools are experimenting with sex from the ages of 10 and up.
How does all this relate to what we watch on TV? Well, in America now there have been several cases of school shootings that are directly linked to media. When the movie Natural Born Killers was released in America several outbreaks of shootings took place, not to mention what happened when the recent version of Batman came out. The point here is that all these events are related to what kids have been exposed to in the media. If we go back in time about 50 years ago all over the world, there was a huge difference in our youth, and that was because there was less exposure to media content that could cause these types of outbreaks. Today however, those media channels are extremely liberal and it is this liberality that opens the doors to thoughts and mind sets in children and adults alike, that breed the actions we see today.
I am asking you to review the cut off times for offensive viewing. I am asking you to put pressure on these free to air broadcasters to be more sensitive to the fact that we have more child headed households that do not have any time curfew or rules in their homes than other countries. What good is putting a bunch of notices and warnings before a movie that shows people promiscuity and violence in South Africa where rape and violence are considered the highest in the world. All channels of communication that reach any child should be policed, because many children in our country may not have a father who has shown them the laws of what is right and wrong. Our high crime, violence, divorce and rape rates should already be enough to show us all that we are failing to teach our children what is right and what is wrong. Yes, this may be a job for parents, but what if there are no parents? What if the TV is the authority in a child headed home? This is not a question, it is a reality in South Africa.
I am not asking you to stop broadcasting of age restricted material, I am asking you to create a greater sensitivity to what we are actually telling our youth through these free to air broadcasting channels. ETV this week have already offered a free to air digital TV service which will be starting in the next couple of years. What is preventing them from just putting any old thing on those channels and then pasting a warning on the front of each broadcast. The media we broadcast to South Africa is the thought pattern we are telling South Africa to have. If you are not sure then tell me why children recognise all the adverts on TV? Why do they run around repeating all the slogans you hear so often on TV? We need to be more responsible for our future generations, otherwise the spiral of decay will continue to destroy our country through the media we allow before our children.
My complaint is to review the broadcasting times limits and to lift the watershed to 22h00. My request is to keep Sunday’s as family viewing days. My request is to hold the free to air broadcasters accountable for the content that they are feeding our children in South Africa.
I am looking forward to your response.
Yours Sincerely
Emil Swanepoel
(one Godly man making a difference in the world)
Contact me on Mobile: (+27) (82) 497-6222
emil.swanepoel | www.emilswanepoel.com | Skype (emil.swanepoel) | Twitter | Facebook
From: Shouneez Martin
Sent: 17 July 2013 10:25
To: Emil Swanepoel
Subject: BCCSA: ETV complaint…
Dear Ms Swanepoel
The broadcasters must ensure that material which is more explicit is broadcast after 21:00 on a sliding scale. The Code includes several rules which protect children before that time. However, as from 20:00, the hour before the commencement of the watershed, more explicit material may also be broadcast. Such material may, however, not include movies which have been classified as 18.
The broadcasters are legally allowed to broadcast PG to 16 age-restricted movies before 21:00 with adequate warnings.
Attached please find the Code of Conduct for free to air broadcasters.
You are welcome to contact ICASA for e.tv’s licence conditions.
The response from e.tv pertains to both complaints.
The broadcasters use the Film and Publication Board’s certificate as a guideline.
| FILM TITLE: | RISING SUN |
| GENRE: | THRILLER |
| CONSUMER ADVICE: | 16 LSV |
| DISTRIBUTOR: | NU METRO |
| DIRECTOR: | PHILIP KAUFMAN |
| MAIN CAST: | SEAN CONNERY,WESLEY SNIPES |
| LANGUAGE: | STRONGFREQUENTSEXUAL PROFANITY |
| NUDITY: | MODERATE INFREQUENT |
| PREJUDICE: | NONE |
| SEX: | COMPLICATED STRONG MODERATE FR |
| VIOLENCE: | SEXUALIZED STRONG FREQUENT |
| BLASPHEMY: | NONE |
| DRUG ABUSE: | NONE |
| COMMENTS: | NONE |
You will note that as per e.tv’s response they added a warning for “Nudity” to the FPB’s classification, which they are entitled to do.
If you are not satisfied with the decision you are welcome to lodge an appeal to the Chairperson as indicated in the decision.
Kind regards
SHOUNEEZ MARTIN
REGISTRAR
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