Understanding the regulations of the media sector

The BBFC (British board of film corporation) is a non-governmental

organization, founded by the film industry in 1912 and responsible for the
national classification and censorship of films. The BBFC intervene with
films and give them certificates meaning people with that age or older can
watch that film only nobody below that age can watch that film. The BBFC
can ask film makers to edit parts out if they dont think they are suitable
for produce. However, the BBFC Legal powers on film remain with the
local councils, which may overrule any of the BBFCs decisions, passing
films we reject banning films we have passed, and even waiving cuts,
instituting new ones, or altering categories for films exhibited under their
own licensing jurisdiction. Although local councils have banned film in the
past like the exorcist and a clockwork orange due to their violence inside
the film inciting people copycat their actions. Marvels Deadpool was given
a rating of 15 because it contains strong bloody violence, strong language
and sex references meaning its not suitable for young children but this
was to reach out to a new audience to the comic world and changing its
angle on typical superhero films where as a film like marvels avengers
assemble was given a 12A because it has a sense of violence to its film
however no strong language or sexual references where in this film
making it a 12A because an adult can help reassure a child when watching
this film with the violence.
Ofcom, the communications regulator in the UK and they control all for the
media from the TV, radio and video, on demand sectors, fixed line
telecoms, mobiles, postal services, plus the airwaves over which wireless
devices operate. Ofcom make sure that people are protected when buying
a product and that people get the best from their communications
services and are protected from scams and sharp practices, while
ensuring that competition can thrive. Ofcom is run by boards which
provides strategic direction for the organization. The board meets a least
once a month and consists of a Non-Executive Chairman, Executive
Directors (including the Chief Executive), and Non-Executive Directors.
The Executive runs the organisation and answers to the Board. An
example where Ofcom was involved where customers where getting
scammed was the BBC as they were faking competition winners and
deceiving viewers on a string of radio and flagship television programmes.
Ofcom found that viewers were duped by production staff who made up
the names of winners or even posed as contestants themselves. This
shows how powerful Ofcom is on how they can fine and track down even
the biggest of company even one as big as the BBC so there is nowhere to
hide.
The ASA (advertising standards authority) their purpose is to make
advertisements responsible. They use 5 systems to their strategy step one
understanding. Understanding what an advert and what the complaint is
about. Acting purposefully in a timely fashion. Support. Support offered to
advertisers to help them create responsible ads to help create adverts

representing their products in the right way. Impact. Reacting to cases and
focusing on our excising remit to tackle adverts that have broken rules
and aiming to do something. Proactivity. Working with others to use a wide
range of information to identify and tackle problems making sure ads are
responsible for everything even if no complaint has been issued.
Awareness. Making sure that the public, civil society and the industry
know who the ASA are and what they can do, so they can engage with
them when they need to and have confidence in what they do. An
example of a banned advert is the jaguar advert for the f-type coupe
staring Tom Hiddleston stating that its good to be bad people
complained that the advert encouraged unsafe driving and was therefore
socially irresponsible. However, jaguar said that the car barely moved in
the car park and when the car does move it moves at normal road speeds
accelerating briefly. The ASA agreed that the primary focus was not speed
however the noise of acceleration and speed appeared to suggest
significant speed within an enclosed environment. Tom Hiddleston also
came under attack because as when the cars accelerates he says now
brace yourself encouraging high speed acceleration. The ASA therefor
decided to ban the advert as it encouraged bad driving and encouraged
people to drive at excessive force and speed.