Regulatory & Professional Bodies

After describing a regulatory body from each sector of the media industry, the remaining ones will be briefly outlined below.

British Video Association - Formed in 1980 to represent the interests of publishers and nights owners if pre-recorded video entertainment.

Film Distributors Association - A trading body for theatrical film distributors in the UK, these are the companies that release films for UK cinema audiences.

Video Standards Council - Established in 1989, it is a standards body for the video and video games industries. It provides it's retailer members with a staff training course to ensure they deal with age restricted video, DVD's and video games, appropriately. They act as an administrator of the PEGI system of video game certification.

The Mobile Entertainment Forum - Global trade association for companies wishing to monetise their products and services via mobile. Established in 2000, MEF represents the total mobile ecosystem providing on impartial and powerful voice for pioneering companies from across the mobile content and commerce value chain.

The Independent Games Developers Association - Founded in 2001, international organisation to network collaborative projects and communities comprised of individuals from all fields of game development from programmers and producers to writers, artists, QA and localisation.

British Academy of Film and Television Arts - The leading UK charity that supports art forms of moving image - film, television and video games - helping to promote and develop these forms. They identify and reward excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public.

The International Visual Communication Association - They exist to represent it's members to government and other stakeholding bodies and to promote effective business and public service communications of the highest ethical and professional standards.

World Wide Web Consortium - Information on this can be found here.

British Interactive Multimedia Association - Represents the diverse interests of the British digital industry since 1985. It exists to do four things; support and promote the British digital industry, share knowledge and best practise, reward great work and encourage the next generation.

Pan European Game Information (PEGI)

The Pan European Game Information is an age rating system that was designed to help European parents make an informed decision on which video game is appropriate for their children.

The system was established in 2003 and replaced a number of national age rating systems with one single system. It is used throughout the majority of Europe, in 30 countries.

PEGI is support the major console manufacturers which are; Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo.

It was developed by the ISFE, Interactive Software Federation of Europe.

Age and Content Ratings
All PEGI rated games will be issued with an age rating, as well as illustrations that signal the content of said game. They are as follows;

3: Suitable for all ages (or 3 and above). These games may contain mild violence (for comedic value, ie; Bugs Bunny and Tom & Jerry). No explicit language is allowed.
7: Suitable for ages 7 or above. They may contain mild, cartoon violence, sports of elements that may be frightening to younger children.
12: Suitable for ages 12 or above. May contain violence in a fantasy setting, coarse language, mild sexual reference or innuendo, or gambling.
16: Suitable for ages 16 or above. May contain explicit violence, strong language, sexual references or content, gambling, or drug use (encouragement)
18: Suitable for ages 18 or above. May contain graphic violence, including "violence towards defenseless people" and "multiple, motiveless killing", strong language, strong sexual content, gambling, drug use (glamorisation), or discrimination.

The bottom images show illustrations to distinguish the games themes. They are (L-R);
- Bad language: Game contains bad language
- Discrimination: Game contains depictions of, or material which may encourage, discrimination
- Drugs: Game refers to or depicts the use of drugs 
- Fear: Game may be frightening or scary for young children
- Gambling: Games that encourage or teach gambling
- Sex: Game depicts nudity and/or sexual behaviour or sexual references
- Violence:  Game contains depictions of violence
- Online gameplay: Game can be played online

RadioCentre

Initially this section was to be about the Commercial Radio Companies Association, however in 2006, they merged with the Radio Advertising Bureau to form RadioCentre.

RadioCentre is the industry body for UK commercial radio. They work alongside the government, policy makers and regulators, and also provide a forum for industry-wide debate and discussion.

They strive to maintain and build a strong and successful commercial radio industry.

In previous years, RadioCentre have successfully provided stations with more freedom with the way in which they produce content.

RadioCentre members and BBC stations build up the majority of the radio listening in the UK. They work together in several areas to advance the interest of radio as a whole.

Both organisations founded RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research Limited) in 1992 to operate a sinlge audience measurement system for the radio industry.

Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)

The ASA, or Advertising Standards Authority, is the UK's independent regulator of advertising across the media. They investigate and adjudicate potential breaches of the Advertising Codes.

On their official website, the state that their mission is;

'to ensure that advertising in all media is legal, decent, honest and truthful, to the benefit of consumer, business and society.'

They aim to achieve their mission by bettering their advertising regulation. This is particularly to be done by;

'- making a success of regulating online ads

- being an effective part of the response to societal issues shown to be affected by advertising

- placing more emphasis on prevention rather than cure

- being more efficient and in tune with consumers, business and society

The ASA ensure they work to published standards of service. Their websites states that they are committed to;

'- being accessible to member of the public and the advertising industry

- resolving complaints without undue delay, whilst recognising that complex complaints can take longer than the average

- being effective in meeting the needs of our customers, whether members of the public or industry

- delivering a high quality and professional service

- being open about our procedure and our decision making, and accountable for our performance

The ASA 'recognises the importance of providing a service that is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities'.

Press Complaints Commission (PCC)

The Press Complaints Commission, or the PCC, is the print based media complaints office that deals with regulating the print industry before material is published, and complaints from the public on any content they deem unacceptable.

The PCC has an editors code of practice to consider when regulating print. The 16 points are as follows (according to their official website)

1. Accuracy
The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information, including pictures

2. Opportunity to reply
A fair opportunity for reply to inaccuracies must be given when reasonable called for.

3. *Privacy
Everyone is entitled to respect for his or her private and family life, home, health and correspondence, including digital communications.

4. *Harassment
Journalists must not engage in intimidation, harassment or persistent pursuit.

5. Intrusion into grief and shock
In cases involving personal grief or shock, enquiries and approaches must be made with sympathy and discretion and publication handled sensitively. This should not restrict the right to report legal proceedings, such as inquests.

6. *Children
Young people should be free to complete their time at school without unnecessary intrusion.

7. *Children in sex cases
The press must not, even if legally free to do so, identify children under 16 who are victims or witnesses in cases involving sex offences.

8. *Hospitals
Journalists must identify themselves and obtain permission from a responsible executive before entering non-public areas of hospitals or similar institutions to pursue enquiries.

9. *Reporting of crime
Relatives or friends of persons convicted or accused of crime should not generally be identified without their consent, unless they are genuinely relevant to the story.

10. *Clandestine devices and subterfuge
The press must not seek to obtain or publish material acquired by using hidden cameras or clandestine listening devices; or by intercepting private or mobile telephone calls, messages or emails; or by the unauthorised removal of documents or photographs; or by accessing digitally-held private information without consent.

11. Victims of sexual assault
The press must not identify victims of sexual assault or publish material likely to contribute to such identification unless there is adequate justification and they are legally free to do so.

12. Discrimination
The press must avoid prejudicial or pejorative reference to an individual's race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or to any physical or mental illness or disability.

13. Financial journalism
Even where the law does not prohibit it, journalists must not use for their own profit financial information they receive in advance of its general publication, nor should they pass such information to others.

14. Confidential sources
Journalists have a moral obligation to protect confidential sources of information.

15. Witness payments in criminal trials
No payment or offer  of payment to a witness - or any person who may reasonably be expected to be called as a witness - should be made in any case once proceedings are active as defined by the Contempt of Court Act 1981.
This prohibition lasts until the suspect has been freed unconditionally by police without charge or bail or the proceedings are otherwise discontinued; or has entered a guilty plea to the court; or, in the event of a not guilty plea, the court has announced its verdict.

16. *Payment to criminals
Payment or offers of payment for stories, pictures or information, which seek to exploit a particular crime or to glorify or glamorise crime in general, must not be made directly or via agents to convicted or confessed criminals or to their associates - who may include family, friends and colleagues.

There may be exceptions to the clauses marked * where they can be demonstrate to be in the public interest.

Television, Radio and Telecommunications Office for Communication (Ofcom)

Television, Radio and Telecommunications Office for Communication, more commonly stylised as Ofcom, is a communications regulator responsible fore the regulation of the television and radio sectors, fixed line telecoms, mobile, postal services and the airwaves in which wireless devices operate.

Is it their job to ensure that people living in the UK get the most from their various communications services as well as being protected from scams, whilst still ensuring that industry competition is able to thrive.

Ofcom is funded by industry fees that are paid for the regulation of broadcasting and communications networks. They are also given a grant-in-aid from the government. 

They operate under the Communications Act 2003 which states that Ofcom  have general duties that include furthering the interests of citizens and consumers, meeting those requirements is their main purpose.

Ofcom have a list of main legal duties that they must complete. On their website, they state that they are to ensure; 

'- the UK has a wide range of electronic communications services, including high-speed services such as broadband

-a wide range of high quality television and radio programmes are provided, appealing to a range of tastes and interests

- television and radio services are provided by a range of different organisations

- people who watch television and listen to the radio are protected from harmful or offensive material

- people are protected from being unfairly treated in television and radio programmes and from having their privacy invaded

- a universal postal service is provided in the UK - this means six days a week, universally priced delivery and collection service across the country

- the radio spectrum (the airwaves used by everyone from taxi firms to boat owners, to mobile-phone companies and broadcasters) is used in the world effective way'

They also state that they are not responsible for;

'- disputes between you and your telecoms provider

- premium-rate services, including mobile-hone text services and ringtones

- the content of television and radio adverts

- complaints about accuracy in BBC programmes

- the BBC TV license fee

- post offices

- newspapers and magazines'

British Board of Film Classification (BBFC)

The British Board of Film Classification is the UK's regulatory board that reviews all films before cinema and sales release to give them an appropriate age certificate based on the content of the film. This is based off the language and scenarios.

The BBFC's mission statement is as follows;

'As a highly expert and experienced regulator, our mission is to:

- Protect the public, and especially children, from content which might raise harm risks

- Empower the public, especially parents, to informed viewing choices

- Recognise and respect adult freedom of choice within the law

- Respond to and reflect changing social attitudes towards media content through proactive public consultation and research

- Provide a cost-effective, efficient classification service within our statutory remit

- Work in partnership with the industry to develop innovative service models to provide content advice which support emerging media delivery systems

- Provide an effective service to enforcement agencies

The organisation is independent, funded solely by the fees that they charge for their services which is calculated by measuring the films runnings time of each production they are given. They do not gain profit from their work, simply enough to cover the costs they use per film.

The council members consist of those who work in the manufacturing and servicing sections of the film industry, banking, corporate accountancy, television broadcasting and production, as well as the charity sector. The Council of Management members are excluded from deciding on a films classification as well as the policy making.

These are the BBFC's age ratings. The certificates are in place to make the audience aware that you should be of this age or above, or have guidance before watching these films.

U is a universal rating, making these films available for all ages. 

PG requires parental guidance for those under the age of 8, but overall it is suitable for all. 

12 is the rating given for a film that is unsuitable for anyone under this age.

12A is unsuitable for anyone under the age of 12 unless accompanied by an adult one age should not be much younger than 12 though as some pieces of material are still unsuitable.

15 is unsuitable for anyone under this age.

18 is unsuitable for anyone under this age.

R18 is restricted to those 18 and under, very select cinemas will show these films and can mostly only be purchase from 'adult stores' for their extreme sexual content.

Despite the BBFC's certificates, it is possible for a town or city's council to appeal to have the rating overturned for their theatres to showcase the select film. This happened in 2007 with Bristol's City Council after This Is England was slapped with an age 18 rating. The film's director Shane Meadows was appalled and outraged when his film was given this certificate as he felt it alienated the target audience he had in mind during production. TIE focuses on a young boy who joins a gang of skinheads in 80's Thatcherite Britain, the groups struggles with society, political upheaval and the coming of age. 

Meadows has said "It's like I've somehow overachieved. By having one piece of violence and one piece of really acute verbal violence I've managed to get an 18 certificate, whereas someone else can slay thousands of people in a single film and that's OK. To be honest I don't understand it because, yes, the film is affecting but I think it's something that someone of 18 can cope with. It's not like it's a film about the 80s that has no value; it's incredibly relevant politically. It's as much about Iraq as it is about the Falklands. It's as much about England in 2007 as it is about England in 1983." 

Bristol City Council described the BBFC's final verdict as 'idiotic' and changed the rating for their theatres to a 15, enabling more teenagers to view it.