Ofcom

1.2 Family Viewing Policy and the Watershed

Material unsuitable for children must not be transmitted at times when large numbers
of children may be expected to be watching.

1.2(i) Children and Imitative Behaviour

The portrayal of any dangerous or harmful behaviour easily imitated by children
should be avoided, especially before the watershed, and must be excluded entirely in
children’s programmes.

1.2(ii) Prizes in children’s competitions

Prize values in children’s competitions should normally be considerably lower than
those on offer to adults, should be appropriate to the age of the target audience and
should be designed to appeal to audience interests and not to greed. Cash sums are
not acceptable.

1.3 Information, Advice and Warnings

Labelling, classification details and other information announcements have a helpful
role in enabling viewers to make appropriate choices at all times. They are particularly
important on free-to-air, general and basic tier channels.

1.3(i) Warnings in Relation to Programmes Likely to Harm Children

European Council’s Television Without Frontiers Directive 1997 (Article 22.1)
requires that broadcasters take “appropriate measures to ensure that television
broadcasts… do not include any programmes which might seriously impair the
physical, mental or moral development of minors, in particular programmes that
involve pornography or gratuitous violence”.


1.4 Feature Films and Other Acquired Material

Where a British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) Classification exists for the
version of a film or programme proposed for transmission, it should be used as a guide to scheduling. A BBFC video classification, rather than the cinema classification, should always be the guide where one exists.

The following basic rules apply except where satisfactory security mechanisms are
imposed: (see 1.4(ii)), when rules (a), (b) and (c) do not apply).

(a) No ‘12’ rated version should normally start before 8pm on any service.

(b) No ‘15’ rated version should normally start before 9pm (or 8pm on premium
rate subscription services, contents permitting).

(c) No ‘18’ rated version should start before 10pm on any service. This rule may
be relaxed if the classification was made more than 10 years ago and the film is now
clearly suitable for earlier transmission.

(d) No ‘R18’ version should be transmitted at any time.

(e) No version refused a BBFC certification should be transmitted at any time.


1.4(i) Premium Subscription Services

The decision to subscribe to a specialist channel available only to those who have
specifically chosen it, carries with it an acceptance of a greater share of responsibility by parents for what is viewed and the watershed on such channels is set at 8pm rather than 9pm. Any channel which has not been individually purchased in this way must comply with the 9pm watershed.

1.4(ii) Pay Per View Services

Where security mechanisms, such as a PIN system or equivalent, satisfactorily restrict
access to films or programmes solely to those authorised to view, watershed rules may
be waived.

1.4(iii) Trailers and Programme Promotions

Viewers do not choose to see promotional material, so special care is required in
scheduling. All trailers and promotions shown before the watershed must comply
with Family Viewing Policy.

1.5 Bad Language

There is no absolute ban on the use of bad language. But many people are offended,
some of them deeply, by the use of bad language, including expletives with a religious (and not only Christian) association.

1.6 Sex and Nudity

Similar considerations apply. Much great fiction and drama have been concerned
with love and passion which can shock and disturb.

1.7 Violence

The real world contains violence in many forms. It is reasonable for television to
reflect this but it is clear that the portrayal of violence, whether physical, verbal or psychological, can upset, disturb and offend and can be accused of desensitising viewers, of making them unduly fearful or of encouraging imitation.

1.7(i) Suicide and Suicide Attempts: the Risk of Imitation

Common sense dictates that the subject of suicide be handled with care and discretion, particularly in popular drama serials.

1.7(ii) Violence in News and other Programmes

News and current affairs programmes are subject, like any other programming,
to the requirements of Family Viewing Policy.

1.8 Respect for Human Dignity and Treatment of Minorities

Viewers have a right to expect that licensed services will reflect their responsibility to preserve human dignity, as far as possible, in respect of both individuals (see Section 2) and individuals as members of groups.

1.8(i) Ethnic Minorities

No programme should be transmitted which is intended to stir up racial hatred or,
taking into account the circumstances, is likely to do so: where appropriate, schedules should give a fair reflection of the contribution of all races to society.

1.8(ii) People with Disabilities

The same concerns apply. There is a danger of offence in the use of humour based on
physical, mental or sensory disability, even where no malice is present.

1.8(iii) Other Minorities

Similar considerations apply to the treatment of other, less obvious and vulnerable,
minorities including older people, homosexuals, and minority religious faiths or
language groups.

1.9 Hypnotism

Care needs to be taken to minimise the risk of hypnosis being induced in susceptible
viewers. In particular, the hypnotist must not be shown performing straight to camera. Licensees should refer to the Hypnotism Act 1952 (Appendix 4).

1.10 The Occult and ‘Psychic’ Practices

Actual demonstrations of exorcisms and occult practices such as those involving
supposed contact with spirits or the dead, are not acceptable in factual programming
except in the context of a legitimate investigation.

1.11 Recorded Programmes

Programmes not used immediately should be checked before transmission to ensure
that any content is not rendered tasteless or offensive by intervening events, such as death, injury or other misfortune.