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Networks seeking earlier M, MA timezones.

Networks propose allowing M rated shows from 7:30pm and MA from 8:30pm.

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Commercial Free to Air networks have proposed a raft of changes to the Commercial Television Code of Practice which would see M classified material airing from 7:30pm -an hour earlier than current rules allow- and MA15+programmes from 8:30pm.

This would mean content including earlier and moderate broadcasts of violence, sex and nudity, language, drugs, suicide, adult themes, from 8:30pm to 7:30pm. Increased levels of these would be allowed from 8:30pm.

PG rated content would also be allowed across the day, currently this applies only on multichannels.

The separate AV classification, currently at a 9:30pm watershed, would be removed, subsumed by MA15+. Classification symbols will continue to be shown at the beginning of each program, and after each break, however displaying additional consumer advice will be discretionary for some programs.

But while the changes do not increase advertising, if implemented they would mean alcohol advertising could air from 7:30pm, or as an accompaniment to a sports broadcast on a Weekend or Public Holiday.

In changes proposed for News and Current Affairs, accuracy will be required only in relation to material facts, while networks would have the option to make corrections on their website only.

A major change to the Complaints process would require that complainants must have viewed the broadcast on terrestrial television in order to make a formal complaint. Complaints about privacy and vilification can only be made by those directly affected. Broadcasters would be also no longer required to respond regarding issues that may be the subject of legal proceedings or to obscene or offensive submissions.

Other changes are detailed in the proposal on Free TV’s website, designed to be simplified, more concise and consumer-friendly. There are no changes to local content, covered by different rules.

Free TV Chairman Harold Mitchell said: “This is a strong Code that continues to provide the most comprehensive community safeguards for viewers.

“It has been simplified and is much more user friendly.

“We are confident that the proposed Code catches up with the range of ways people now access content, while ensuring Free TV remains Australia’s safest place for viewers.”

The Code of Practice, which was last reviewed in 2009, will now be subjected to a 6 week public consultation period before being submitted to the Australian Communications and Media Authority for approval.

Submissions may be sent to Free TV Australia via post to
44 Avenue Road, Mosman NSW 2088
or via email to [email protected]

More information is at FreeTV website.

Corrected.

54 Responses

  3. SBS have been showing MA content at 8:30, and I love the fact that they do that. I think it’s awesome, long movies like Pulp Fiction not only be shown earlier but finish earlier.

    with all those times wasted where they play repeat filler episodes on other networks like say Nine with Big Bang and Ten with Modern Family they could be playing more new content instead of looking for something to fill gaps.

    the thing is, would they edit stuff out even if something is still given an MA rating at 8:30? ever tried to watch a Steven Seagal movie on Nine’s channels? I happened to see a little bit of Hard To Kill on Gem last night (with an AV rating) after 9:30 and they still to this day cut violence out.

    would love to see this happen for 7,9 & 10 and the multichannels though.

    1. also if they do this they will be able to play M movies at 7:30, instead of editing it down to a PG rating. they did this recently with Guilt Trip, M on dvd.. PG on TV.

    3. Yeah, really enjoyed seeing Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, and the two Kill Bills again, and at a sensible time.

      Perhaps a compromise would be to keep 7:30 as PG, move M to 8:00 to allow some episodic dramas to start earlier, and move MA to 8:30 for movies, adult dramas, and docos.

      If a program is broadcast during more than one classification period, it must meet the stricter guideline. That would mean that family reality / talent type shows starting at 7:30 would have to be PG for their entirety, even if they run to 9:07pm.

      1. Goodness SS, there are some sensible suggestions there. Maybe you should work for FTV.

        Thank you regarding the earlier advice on emotes as well, I will try to remember it.

        Further to the story, it is my personal belief that all TV in Australia requires more regulation, not less. That will be the gist of my of email to FTV…although reading 63 soul-sucking pages of their damn guidelines is not as thrilling as you would think. Gee, I wonder how they’ll stop people from commenting 😉

    4. Hard to Kill was classified R18+ by the Australian Classification Board, so they will need to edit it or they will have breached the Television Code of Practice. From what I can remember, television networks can air cinema releases with the classification issued by the ACB, even if the very same content would, under ordinary circumstances, not be permitted for a television programme. However, that hasn’t stopped Ten from censoring the PG rated The Simpsons Movie or the other networks from issuing higher classifications to some films. The cinema-TV classification parity rule does not apply to television shows classified for home video release; for example, MA15+ rated episodes of Californication were found to have breached the code, even with cuts, despite the uncensored episodes being rated MA15+ on DVD.

      1. yeah Hard To Kill may be R on DVD, but if you watch it the content ain’t bad. if the OFLC re-rated it today it would get an MA, it’s violent but not graphic. they could get away with making it uncut with an AV rating.

        SBS have aired R rated movies at 8:30 uncut, like Scanners. Kill Bill had violence cut, as well as Pulp Fiction. but other R rated movies they have played uncut like Evil Dead 2 and such.

  5. David, with this post and your two earlier ones this week (about FTA wanting the licence fees scrapped and their blatant lieing about the reasoning behind them no longer following schedules) I thought that you were having a giant pull of our legs and starting your April Fool’s Day jokes early.

    I mean, seriously, you cannot make this s*** up, can you?

    Then I read this line: “In changes proposed for News and Current Affairs, accuracy will be required only in relation to material facts…”

    And realised that, apparently, you can 🙁

    I will be making my thoughts known to FTV via the links you provided.

    **you need an angry emote**

  6. Please do it, it time we all grew up. America has drama at 8pm and yet we still have “won’t someone think of the children” mindset. If you’re worried about what your children are watching put a Peppa Pig DVD or here’s a novel idea read a book with them. Surely they would children and those with delicate sensibilities would see worse in the 4pm news bulletin.

    1. I’m definitely one of the crowd who is sick of the whole ‘someone think of the children’ mindset but in this case I think it’s fair enough. Loads of families like to watch a program together at night to wind down and that can be a fun bonding thing. Just because people watch TV that doesn’t mean they don’t read to their kids! TV is a form of relaxation and in moderation is fine for kids. As for the news, many parents don’t let their children watch that anyway, it can be distressing for adults let alone kids. After 8.30 is surely early enough for adult content – and with that I would be quite happy if they wound back the censorship, I don’t see why adults need to be protected from sex, violence, swearing, etc.

  8. The idea of M rated content being allowed at 7.30pm is ridiculous. Pre-8.30pm is family viewing and we don’t really need M rated content then. That’s when parents and kids can watch TV together and programming should be family friendly.

    I would agree that G-only timeslots should be abolished. What’s the point in having them on the main channels on weekdays, but allowing PG content at the same time on digital and on weekends?

  9. Whats the point when commercial networks have no intention of airing anything but reality prior to 9pm.

    I do think that prior to 8.30pm whats aired needs to be child friendly.

    I did see a small article on todays herald sun that nine are considering a local drama possibly at 7.30pm within the next two years. With nines obsession with the block and big bang it just seems like talk without substance.

  10. 7.30 is too early for M. 8.30 is perfect as kids go to bed by then. It’s all well and good to say change channels or turn off but in our case for example, the kids enjoy watching TV with parents to relax and go to bed. At the moment at our house its I’m a Celeb most nights, sometimes MKR, but if these shows can be M rated and start having more swearing etc then we would no longer watch with kids. As it is there are many shows we record and never watch in front of kids due to severe adult themes – Criminal Minds is a goods example – many episodes I would hate to see aired any earlier than 8.30pm on FTA.

    1. In addition to this, if we are perhaps channel surfing looking for something to watch, or turn on the TV to watch something with our kids and it comes on displaying a different channel, it’s entirely possible that between 7:30 and 8:30 we would inadvertently expose our kids to things we don’t want them to see or hear. Currently, if it’s before 8:30 we can be reasonably confident that this isn’t going to happen unless we explicitly go looking for that content via the PVR, streaming services, etc.

  11. What is wrong with the present rules? Do our children need less protection? Has there been a groundswell of public opinion demanding more bad language, nudity and sex scenes before 8.30pm? Or, is the industry so desperate for cash that it needs to appeal to voyeuristic viewers with shock and awe programs, before the kids go to bed? Those people are happy on the Internet, leave them there!
    Unregulated streaming TV is in it’s infancy in Oz and parents have to decide how much freedom can be given to their children and whether they can be trusted!

  12. As I said earlier this week in a reply I am in favour of M being allowed at 8pm, shows like NCIS, Madam Secretary, The Mentalist, Grimm and etc., on Network TV show at 8pm eastern time in the US (and 7pm central time). Shows like Psych that got an M rating here also showed at 8pm in the US (though on cable), which could have safely been seen at 7:30pm here as could have White Collar when on TEN. There is some protection now, as there times when Criminal; Minds slips into an AV rating, however that is one show that should stay at 8:30pm (or more now 9pm).

    Personally for me, any show that is able to be shown at 8pm in the US should be shown at that time here as well.

    On TV Station basis, TEN for instance could cut the Project to 30 mins, run Masterchef, Biggest Loser and etc., 7pm – 8pm and then have say Madam Secretary at 8pm and The Good Wife at 9pm, which is how they’re shown…

  13. I’m actually in favour of the proposed change to classification timings but don’t see the point when all three of the commercial FTA networks will be showing reality or talent competition shows from 7:30. Are we going to see nude renovation or someone’s face held against a hot-plate?

    I also think it’s ironic that they’re sticking with the periods commencing at 7:30 and 8:30 when apparently all of the programmers think that the standard junction times are no longer relevant (and they’re certainly not using them).

    The other stuff is less palatable and has been included in an attempt to have it ride thru with the one thing that most people prob agree with.

    1. They may not use those junctions, but they still need to agree to a time. 7:30 is sensible since at 7pm it’s either stripped reality shows or H&A on the three major networks and families might be eating dinner together still at this time.

  15. The news/current affairs accuracy and the complaints process are also ridiculous, the networks want to have no responsibility, pay nothing for their spectrum and convince the government to protect their business with taxpayer money via piracy crackdowns. Will they next apply for tax exemption as they seem to think they are a charity.

  17. I’m a very liberal person but changing the M rating to start at 7.30 is a dreadful proposal! There are certain things children shouldn’t be exposed to and this would make it very difficult for families to feel secure that what their children are watching is appropriate. It would stop a lot of families from being able to watch shows together. I think M and M+ are fine from 8.30 – that’s ‘adult’ time as far as I’m concerned and parents do need to take some responsibility for what their kids watch – if you let your 12 year old watch Underbelly it’s not the greatest parenting in the world.

  22. This is absurd and would render the schemes entire reason for existing, protecting children and the concept of family viewing, irrelevant.

    All the networks want to do is show cheap US network violence and cable language and nudity earlier targeting younger viewers who advertisers like. But of course only when it suits them, once they they run out of episodes contest shows.

    Why are they pressing for more half hour rules when they refuse to schedule shows on them anyway? These days they won’t show any scripted content before 9pm so their arguments that they need to show adult dramas to adults earlier is bogus.

    Networks are granted licenses to service the public. Now they want to peddle adult entertainment to kids and pay nothing for the use of billions of dollars worth of publically owned spectrum that has plenty of other uses.

  24. Well, David, you certainly led with the best part of the proposed changes. From there its downhill. Particularly in relation to accuracy and corrections. Of course the ACMA being the ACMA I don’t doubt they’ll probably be rubber-stamped.

  25. I think this is a smart thing to do. However, networks will need to create more engaging drama and comedy… it’s time for networks to create more bold and daring content that captures the viewer’s imagination.

    David, I have noticed shows like Underbelly, Gallipoli, and Rake [for example] always classified themselves as ‘M’, but the DVD classification was ‘MA15+’. Is this misleading the viewer? And why do they do it?

    1. They either cut something out of the TV version, or a walking the classification line for the TV version and hoping to defend any complaints. For the DVD there is no advantage in giving something and M rating. The MA15+ rating is safer and makes the show seem more edgy.

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