Television content rating system

A television rating system is a method of giving television viewers an idea of the suitability of a television program for children and/or adults. Many countries have their own television rating system. The process of rating differs greatly among the countries. Programs are rated by either the organization that manages the system, the broadcaster, or by the content producers themselves.

A rating is usually set per individual television program. A common mistake is the assumption that a rating for one episode of a television series, applies to all episodes of this series. This is usually not the case. The rating can change per episode, network, rerun and per country. As such it's impossible to state what kind of rating a program has, without stating when and where this rating applied.

United States

The TV Parental Guidelines system was first proposed in the United States on December 19, 1996 by the Congress, the television industry and the FCC, and went into effect on January 1st, 1997 on most major broadcast and cable networks in response to public complaints of increasingly explicit sexual content, graphic violence and strong profanity in television programs. It was established as a voluntary-participation system, with ratings to be determined by the individually-participating broadcast and cable networks. It was specifically designed to be used with the V-chip, which was mandated to be built into all television sets manufactured since 2000, but the guidelines themselves have no legal force.

The system does not apply to news or sports programming, or commercials.

File:TV-Y.gif

• TV-Y (Kids' Audiences)

  Whether animated or live-action, the themes and elements in this program are specifically designed for a very young audience, including children from ages 2-6. This program is not expected to frighten younger children. Shows like Rugrats, Poopster Shpe, Thomas and Friends, and many other children's series have a TV-Y rating.

File:TV-Y7.gif

• TV-Y7 (may be inappropriate for children under 7)

  These shows may be more appropriate for children who have acquired the developmental skills needed to distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality. These shows may contain comedic violence, fantasy violence (FV), crude or suggestive humor, or may frighten children under the age of 7. Therefore, parents may wish to consider the suitabilty of this program for their very young children. Examples are Ed, Edd n Eddy, Class Of 3000, SpongeBob SquarePants, Fairly OddParents, Ren and Stimpy (Spike TV's version is TV-14), and Time Warp Trio.

File:TV-Y7-FV.gif

• TV-Y7-FV

  For those programs where fantasy violence may be more intense than other programs in the same category, such programs will be designated TV-Y7-FV. One example is Sonic X.

File:TV-G.gif

• TV-G (general audiences)

  This rating does not specifically mean the program is geared towards children, though many parents will find it suitable for children. Some examples of this are American Idol, the CBS game show The Price Is Right and some History Channel documentaries. Although this usually means the show is not aimed at kids, some shows with this rating are. Dexter's Laboratory is an example. Some shows, like Full House, The Cosby Show, and The Jeffersons and most shows on the prime time Disney Channel contain very few instances of language.

File:TV-PG.gif

• TV-PG (may not be suitable for young children)

  The rating may find things unsuitable for younger children, particularly under the age of 7, but parents may want to watch it with them. For example, the episode of Family Guy "Peter's Got Woods" is one of the only episodes in that series to be rated TV-PG. The Simpsons usually carries a TV-PG rating. Most feature films originally rated PG-13 or R and edited for network or basic cable are rated TV-PG, however some are TV-14. Many prime time sitcoms, reality programs and some dramas have this rating. The rating may be accompanied by one or more of the following subratings:

  • V for moderate violence
  • S for mild sexual situations
  • L for mild coarse language
  • D for suggestive dialogue (suggestive or explicit subject matter)

  Many "family" programs carry this designation, as does some unamericanized anime.

File:TV-14-V.gif

• TV-14 (formerly TV-13, may be inappropriate for children under 14)

  Parents are strongly urged to exercise greater care in monitoring this program and are cautioned against letting children under the age of 14 watch unattended. This rating is very broad and common so it is often accompanied by one of the following subratings:

  • V for intense violence
  • S for moderate sexual situations
  • L for coarse language
  • D for highly suggestive dialogue

  Interestingly, most programs that air after 9:00 p.m. are rated TV-14, including programs such as The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live, as well as many prime-time dramas and some sitcoms such as Family Guy and American Dad. CBS and NBC daytime dramas carry this rating, also a few The Simpsons episodes are rated TV-14 like There's Something about Marrying while ABC serials mostly carry the PG rating, with an occasional 14.

File:TV-MA.gif

• TV-MA (formerly TV-M, suitable for mature audiences or adults only)

  This program is not intended for and should not be viewed by immature audiences. The program may contain extreme graphic violence, strong profanity, overt sexual dialogue and/or explicit sexual acts. South Park frequently carries a TV-MA rating, with the syndicated version receiving a TV-14 rating, as well as most original programs on HBO and Showtime and most of the shows on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. Also The Shield, Nip/Tuck, and Rescue Me have carried these ratings (with all three sub-ratings). The film Schindler's List (aired by NBC in February 1997 and March 1999, as well as on PBS in July 2000) was the first network TV program to display this rating. The pilot episode of the CBS police drama Brooklyn South was the first network TV show (as opposed to movie) to display the rating, for its bloody opening sequence. Also, on the Adult Swim version of the Family Guy episode "The Father, The Son, and the Holy Fonz" is rated TV-MA, mostly for its coarse language and view of religion. On Spike TV, when Godfathers I and II are shown uncut they are rated TV-MA LSV.

The rating may be accompanied by one of the following subratings:

• • V for highly graphic violence
  • S for explicit sexual situations
  • L for strong coarse language
  • The D sub-rating is not used for TV-MA.

The implications of these ratings, particularly the TV-MA rating, vary greatly depending on the situation. For example, South Park, which airs on Comedy Central in prime time, generally has bleeped words even though it carries the MA rating. Yet certain other TV-MA programs on Comedy Central (including the late-night "Secret Stash" airings of films such as South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and other programs) appear to have no restrictions on language. This largely depends on the wishes of the shows' sponsors. Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block often uses a similarly "tame" TV-MA rating, most likely because Cartoon Network is still largely considered a children's network. Their TV-MA programs generally have strong animated violence and slightly stronger language than TV-14 programs, but are not nearly as explicit as many other TV-MA programs, such as those on HBO.

Level of rating	Violence	Language	Sexual Situations	Dialogue	Fantasy Violence
TV-Y	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)
TV-Y7	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	Y (exclusive use)
TV-G	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)
TV-PG	Y (mild)	Y (mild)	Y (mild)	Y (mild)	N (unused)
TV-14	Y (moderate)	Y (moderate)	Y (moderate)	Y (moderate)	N (unused)
TV-MA	Y (strong)	Y (strong)	Y (strong)	N (unused)	N (unused)

For the first 15 seconds of every rated program lasting a half-hour or less, a large rating icon appears in the upper-left hand corner of the TV screen. For every rated program running an hour or longer, a rating appears in the upper-left hand corner of the TV screen at the beginning of each half hour.

Starting in mid 2005, many networks display the icons after every commercial break. ABC was one of the first television networks to display the program's rating after every commercial break in addition to at the beginning of the program.

Many networks have also introduced their own flair to the icons:

• ABC's ratings icons do not use the regular Helvetica font, instead going with a Bank Gothic typeface, with black type on a white background, and are larger than the voluntary specifications. However, normal Helvetica ratings icons are shown on the network's HDTV feed and in promos.
• CBS and The CW only show the icon at the start of the program, and use the original smaller icons.
• Fox networks ratings icons are colored blue with white type, use a clockwise transition animation, and are larger than the voluntary specifications, appearing at the start of any live action program and as close to the half-hour as possible during an hour-long program. Black and white icons are retained for animated programs on the network and the 4Kids TV weekend children's block. The clockwise animation is in use with these as well.
• NBC's ratings icons are translucent, and have the yellow feather in the NBC Peacock logo "click and feather in" the icon like a mouse cursor clicking an icon to go with that network's current image branding. NBC and their related cable networks did not use the D-L-S-V subratings until 2005. [1] [2].
• PBS' ratings icons vary by each program's producers, though usually the default icons are used, with black Helvetica type on a white background. PBS and the network's digital cable networks/digital broadcast subchannels also opted out of the D-L-S-V subratings until 2005.
• Syndicated programming often will show ratings icons drastically different from the original icons, in a different font (such as Tahoma), with a translucent or no background, letters with drop shadowing, or which match up with the title card or closing credits font for the program. This owes to the fact that the individual programs' production companies, not the broadcasting stations, apply the ratings.
• Both NBC and MyNetworkTV show the icon within the video area instead of the normal placement on a 4:3 scale whenever letterboxed programs are aired.
• Turner Classic Movies uses the television ratings system to rate films not covered by the MPAA's film ratings system, which went into effect for films released after October 1968. As the network or the film's distributor rates the film on the TV ratings system instead of the MPAA's, some conflicts occur between the two ratings systems, such as a film that might rate a MPAA G earning a TV-PG, and some cases of a MPAA PG-like movie earning a TV-14 rating on TCM. Some MPAA rated films may also have a separate TV rating from TCM to clairfy content further within the D-L-S-V subratings.

Locally-produced programming may not show any kind of icon or indicator for a rating, and it is extremely rare for public access cable channels to have any ratings. News and sports channels (such as CNN, CNBC, Fox News Channel, ESPN, and Fox Sports Net), and broadcast news and sports shows have never used the ratings system, as live and taped sports and news events are excluded from having to be rated, though the commitments by the networks to edit out any live profanity and obscenity does remain.

The ratings can be detected by a television set device known as a V-chip. V-chips are built into all television receivers manufactured since 2000. Older sets can be retrofitted with external set-top boxes. However, the V-chips have to be activated by the set's owner, and provide only a blanket blocking for programs displaying the owner-selected primary rating(s): subratings cannot usually be selected for exemption from V-chip blockage (there are some television sets which can block subratings, however). In order for the V-chip to detect the rating, the rating code must be embedded into the TV signal by the program's creator (in the same way closed captioning is embedded in the signal). Shows that simply display a rating on the screen but do not contain this embedded code will not interact with the V-chip and not be prevented from showing regardless of the displayed rating.

Some famous exceptions of live programming that got past the censors were Bono's "This is really, really fucking brilliant!" on the Golden Globe Awards; Nicole Richie's "Have you ever tried to clean cow shit out of a Prada purse? It's not so fucking simple!" on the Billboard Music Awards; and one of the most infamous scenes in the history of American television, Janet Jackson's exposed breast on the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show. Many however have stated that the graphic and brutal violence on shows like the three CSI franchise shows are far worse than the profanity or nudity that gets attention from the media.

Content Advisory System

In addition to the TV Parental Guidelines, there is a content advisory system which preexists the implementation of the TV Parental Guidelines. This content system was proposed in the United States in 1994 by the cable television industry and went into effect by early 1995 on most major pay cable networks (such as HBO, Showtime, etc.) to identify if a program has explicit sexual content, graphic violence and strong profanity. Pay-per-view services began using the system in 1998.

Adult pay networks like Playboy TV and Spice Networks do not use this system instead generally describing content in their films and series as containing "nudity, people having sex and language."

The system consists of a code depicting the content described alongside the code. This system is accompanied by one of the following subratings:

• V (Violence): for programs containing intense violence
• MV (Mild Violence): for programs containing mild dramatic or comedic violence
• AC (Adult Content): for programs containing highly suggestive dialogue
• AL (Adult Language): for programs containing coarse language
• GL (Graphic Language): for programs containing intense foul language
• BN (Brief Nudity): for programs containing scenes of nudity usually lasting two minutes or less
• N (Nudity): for programs containing scenes of full-frontal nudity shown for long durations
• SSC (Strong Sexual Content): for programs that contain a few or several scenes featuring sometimes graphic sexual acts
• RP (Rape): for programs that contain intense depiction of rape

The latter three subratings are more commonly used for R and TV-MA rated programs. However, some PG-13 and TV-14 rated programs use the N, SSC and RP subratings. The RP subrating is the least used subrating in the system, while it is typical for the SSC subrating to be used on adult programming.

Pay-cable networks display the icons during the ratings bumpers, after the rating and special features (Stereo, Closed Captioning, etc.) bumper card.

• HBO and Cinemax's content advisory icons do not use the regular Sans Serif font, instead going with a bold Trebuchet typeface, with white type on a black circle background, and are smaller than the voluntary specifications.
• Showtime, The Movie Channel, Sundance Channel and Flix use the larger default icons.
• Starz and Encore's content advisory icons are colored blue with white Arial Bold type, in a square background, and are slightly smaller than the voluntary specifications.
• Pay-per-view networks' content advisory icons are circular, and are colored black with white outline with white Arial Bold type.
• Despite formerly having been a premium channel, Disney Channel never used the content advisory subratings and also does not currently use the subratings that accompany the TV Parental Guidelines. This is likely because of the Channel's family-friendly nature as non-Original programming is usually edited for adult content.

Canada

In the wake of the American ratings system, the Canadian TV Classification System was created for English-language programmers to use in conjunction with the V-chip. The upper-right corner of the Canadian age rating symbols are shaped like the corner of a maple leaf, like their national flag. This system differs somewhat from the American version:

Canadian ratings

File:Canada-C.gif

• C: Programming suitable for children under the age of 8 years. No profanity or sexual content of any level allowed. Minimal comedic violence. (Similar to US TV-Y)

File:Canada-C8.gif

• C8: Suitable for children ages 8 and over. Low intensity violence and fantasy horror allowed. No foul language but occasional "socially offensive and discriminatory" language allowed if in the context of the story. Little or no sex or nudity. (Similar to US TV-Y7)

File:Canada-G.gif

• G: General. Similar to the Canadian/American movie rating of the same name; programming suitable for the entire family with minimal violence, and no profanity or sexual content. (Similar to U.S. TV-G)

File:Canada-PG.gif

• PG: Parental Guidance. Again, similar to the movie rating of the same name. Moderate use of violence and mild profanity allowed, as is brief nudity and sexual references if important to a storyline. (Similar to U.S. TV-PG)

File:Canada-14+.gif

• 14+: Programming intended for viewers ages 14 and over. May contain intense scenes of violence, strong profanity, and depictions of sexual activity within the context of a story. (Similar to U.S. TV-14).

File:Canada-18+.gif

• 18+: Programming intended for viewers ages 18 and over. May contain strong violence, language, and sexual activity. (Similar to U.S. TV-MA)

An E (no rating will appear on screen) is given to most news and sports programs, documentaries, talk shows, music videos and variety programming because they are exempt programs.

Quebec ratings

French-language broadcasters use the Quebec film ratings system.

•  G  (General) appropriate for all ages with little or no violence and little to no sexual content.
•  8+  appropriate for children 8 and up which may contain little violence, some foul language and/or little to no sexual content.
•  13+  appropriate for teenagers 13 and up with moderate violence, language, and some sexual situations. Persons under 13 should be accompanied by an adult.
•  16+  appropriate for teenagers 16 and up with strong violence, strong language, and strong sexual content.
•  18+  only to be viewed by adults 18 and up and contains extreme violence and graphic sexual content/pornography.

An E (no rating will appear on screen) is given to exempt programming, in the same classes used for English Canadian programming above.

Mexico

The Mexican TV ratings are similar to the Mexican movie ratings. The only difference is that there is no B-15 rating for the TV rating system. The ratings are as followed:

• AA: appropriate and designed for children under 7. No sex or nudity , violence, or language of any level is allowed.
• A: appropriate for all ages with little to no sex and little to no violent content. Some examples include Rugrats.
• B: Designed for ages 12 and up which may contain some sexual situations, mild violence, and mild language.
• B-14: Designed for ages 14 and up. The content is a tad more explicit than the B rating. There are sexual innuendo and sexual situations, violence allowing some blood and gore, and coarse language.
• C: designed to be viewed only by adults 18 or older and may contain strong, scary violence, strong language and/or explicit sexual material.
• D: designed to be viewed only by "open minded" adults, as it most certainly contains strong, scary violence, strong language and/or explicit sexual material.

Reportedly, only one channel in Mexico explicitly shows the classification on each program, XEIMT-TV in Mexico City.

Australia

For details on the Video and DVD classification system in Australia, see Censorship in Australia.

http://www.aba.gov.au/contentreg/codes/television/documents/CodeofPractice-July2004.pdf

Commercial television stations in Australia are required to comply with the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice which is governed by the Australian Broadcasting Authority.

The following classification codes apply:

P rated programming content is intended for preschool children.

C rated programming content is intended for children.

Both are similar to the G classification below in terms of allowable content, but are specifically targeted at children, whereas G specifies programming content that is suitable for all audiences, but may not be intended for children.

G rated programming content is suitable for all audiences.

PG Parental Guidance - parental guidance is recommended for young children. Certain restrictions apply during daylight hours (mainly in the mornings and afternoons) as to when PG rated programming content can be shown. The restrictions differ for school days, school holidays and weekends.

M Mature - recommended for mature audiences aged 15 and over. M rated programming content can only be shown between 8:30pm - 5:00am. During school days, M rated programming content can also be shown between 12:00pm and 3:00pm, this can not be shown on school holidays.

MA 15+ Mature Audience Only - Not suitable for people under 15. MA rated programming content can only be shown between 9:00pm - 5:00am. Consumer advice must be issued with all MA rated programming content.

AV 15+ Adult Violence - Not suitable for persons under 15. This is similar to the MA rating, however it specifically applies to content which has more intense or frequent violence. In all other respects, the rating is the same as for MA rated programming content. AV rated programming content can only be shown between 9:30pm - 5:00am, with the sole exception as yet being the film 'Saving Private Ryan' which was shown at 8:30pm by Network Ten several times (With Consumer advice informing viewers that this was in compliance with the Commercial Television Code of Practice). Consumer advice must be issued with all AV rated programming content.

Consumer Advice

Consumer advice is required to be provided for all MA and AV programs, one-off programs and very short series classfied M (eg feature films, miniseries and documentaries etc). A consumer advice warning is also required to be issued for PG material that is broadcast between 7:00pm and 8:30pm on weekdays and 10:00am and 8:30pm on weekends if the broadcaster believes the material is of an intensity that parents of young children may not expect.

A consumer advice warning is issued at the start of the program and is shown on screen with an accompanying voiceover. After each break the consumer advice should appear with the classification symbol at the resumption of programming.

The following consumer advices apply:

• A Adult themes or medical procedures
• D Drug use/references
• H Horror/supernatural themes
• L Coarse language
• N Nudity
• S Sexual references/scenes
• V Violence

Occasionally additional consumer advices will be shown:

• M Medical Procedures
• W War scenes/violence

New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand's rating systems differ only slightly from other rating systems. New Zealand's are based on Australia's previous system which was used before 1995.

G (General Programmes): These exclude material likely to harm children under 14 and can screen at any time. Programmes may not necessarily be designed for younger viewers, but must not contain material likely to cause them undue distress or discomfort. G-rated programmes can screen at any time.

PGR (Parental Guidance Recommended): Programmes more suited to more mature viewers. These are not necessarily unsuitable for children, but viewer discretion is advised, and parents and guardians are encouraged to supervise younger viewers. Programmes rated PGR can screen between 9am - 4pm and between 7pm - 6am.

AO (Adults Only): AO programmes contain material of an adult nature handled in such a way that it is unsuitable for children. Such programmes are directed primarily at a mature audience and can screen between noon and 3pm on a school day (except during school and public holidays as designated by the Ministry of Education), and between 8:30pm - 5:00am. A special sub-class of this rating, denoted AO 9:30 p.m. or later, is reserved for programmes with a "greater degree of sexual activity, potentially offensive language, realistic violence, sexual violence, or horrific encounters" and are considered unsuitable for viewing before that time. [3]

United Kingdom

For details on the video and DVD classification system in the UK, see British Board of Film Classification.

In the United Kingdom, TV ratings are usually considered unnecessary; the television regulator, Ofcom, sets clear boundaries for what can be shown and when. The most obvious example of this is in the watershed, the time at which more explicit content can be shown. On main broadcast television, this is 9 p.m., however on subscriber television services it is 8 p.m. However, due to the rise of some children atttempting to watch programmes that are strictly not intended for them, such as when South Park first came out, many children thought it was for them due to it being animated (children are mostly attracted to animation) and being completely unaware of its adult content, many people believe that the UK should have a TV age rating system and feel that the watershed does not help.

Surprisingly, some channels have adopted their own systems.

Also of note, the WWE Friday Night SmackDown! show shown on Sky Sports 3 retains America's TV-PG rating, and shows the logo in the top corner, even though the announcement made by Sky before every broadcast contradicts this.

• The BBC and ITV give verbal announcements before programmes as to the nature of the programme about to be shown. ITV and the BBC show these comparatively rarely compared to Channel 4.
• In addition to the above, Channel 4 occasionally has extra announcements before a programme resumes from a commercial break, if the content in a certain segment is viewed to be likely to cause offence. (i.e. if the programme crosses the watershed). Examples include the usage of the word "cunt" on Big Brother and a standard "don't try this at home" disclaimer before and during Jackass. See also red triangle.
• Five has its own rating system, roughly based on a mixture of the BBFC and MPAA movie classification systems, used for films only:
  • Universal rating - The film is appropriate for all ages and may even be suitable for family viewing.
  • Guidance rating - The film may contain some mild violence, language or brief nudity. Some scenes may be unsuitable for young children.
  • Caution rating - The film may contain strong violence, swearing, sex or disturbing scenes. For adults only.

Ireland

In Ireland, RTÉ displays a banner in the top left-hand corner of the screen during the opening screen of a programme. The banner will display either -

• GA (General Audience) - a programme that would be acceptable to all ages and tastes.
• Ch (Children) - a programme aimed specifically at children ages 5-11.
• YA (Young Adult) - a programme aimed at an adolescent audience. That is to say it would not be of great interest to an adult. However, it might deal with issues which affect the teenage audience, e.g. relationships, sexual activity, sexuality, soft drugs. Parents and guardians could expect that "YA" programmes might contain such material and may choose to limit their children's access.
• PS (Parental Supervision) - a programme aimed at a mature audience (i.e. It might deal with adult themes, be moderately violent, frightening or contain an occasional swear word.) and the classification label invites parents or guardians to consider restricting children's access.
• MA (Mature Audience Only) - a typical "post-watershed" program which might contain scenes of strong sexual activity and heavy violence, or the dialogue might be profane.

This only applies to the RTÉ channels (RTÉ One, RTÉ Two & TG4), other television channels would usually make a verbal announcement of what a show contains beforehand.

Poland

Until August 2005, Poland's television ratings system consisted of three icons:

• green circle with circle in center (for all ages)
• yellow circle with triangle in center (parental discretion advised)
• red circle with square in center (adults only)

The current Polish television rating system, instituted in August 2005, consists of five icons:

• green circle (for all ages): nothing objectionable; e.g. Teletubbies
• yellow triangle with number '7' in center (suitable for children over the age of 7): may contain mild bad language, bloodless violence; e.g. Chicken Run
• yellow triangle with number '12' in center (suitable for teenagers over the age of 12): some bad language, some violence, some sexual content; i.e. Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Mission: Impossible, Kiler, The Nutty Professor, 6teen
• yellow triangle with number '16' in center (suitable for teenagers over the age of 16): bad language, considerable amount of violence, more sexual content; e.g. Neon Genesis Evangelion, A Man Apart, Mutant Aliens, Elfen Lied
• red circle (adults only): excessive violence, explicit sexual content; e.g. Blue Velvet, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Ett hål i mitt hjärta

Icons are seen continuously during movies and TV programs (except commercials). Informative programs, sports and commercials are exempt from classification.

Netherlands

The Netherlands have a project called Kijkwijzer (ViewingGuide) introduced in 2002 by the Dutch Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media (NICAM). Kijkwijzer advises parents through graphic icons about almost all TV programs, movies and DVDs in the Netherlands. Recently their advice has begun expanding into gaming and the internet. When a movie is rated 12, this does not mean you are not allowed to see the movie under 12. It simply means that the parent should be aware that not all children under 12 might be able to cope with the content of the movie. It is up to the parent to decide if their child is mature enough to watch the movie or TV program. The icons are shown in TV guides, on movie posters, at the start of movies in theatre, and in the top left corner when a TV program starts.

What is special about these ratings is that there is no official written alternative for icons. Also short animated versions of the icons which even feature short audio samples are often used in commercials and the internet.

The following icons are in use for age rating:

• File:Dutch rating AL.jpg All Ages (Alle Leeftijden)
• File:Dutch rating 6.jpg Parental advisory for children under 6 (Let op met kinderen tot 6 jaar)
• File:Dutch rating 12.jpg Parental advisory for children under 12 (Let op met kinderen tot 12 jaar)
• File:Dutch rating 16.jpg Parental advisory for children and teenagers under 16 (Let op met kinderen tot 16 jaar)

Moreover, additional icons show why a movie, television show, or game has been given a specific rating:

• File:Dutch rating violence.jpg Violence (Geweld)
• File:Dutch rating scary.jpg Scary (Angst)
• File:Dutch rating sex.jpg Sex (Seks)
• File:Dutch rating discrimination.jpg Discrimination (Discriminatie)
• File:Dutch rating drugs.jpg Drug and Alcohol abuse (Drugs- en alcohol misbruik)
• File:Dutch rating language.jpg Language (Grof Taalgebruik)

Romania

Romanian rating system.

• AP: Recomandat acordul părinţilor (Recommended according to the parents)
• 12: Interzis copiilor sub 12 ani (Not recommended for children under 12 years of age)
• 14: Interzis minorilor sub 14 ani (Not recommended for minors under 14 years of age)
• 18: Interzis minorilor sub 18 ani (Not recommended for minors under 18 years of age)

South Africa

South African ratings are issued and certified by the Film and Publication Board, whilst the National Broadcasting Commission regulates the various films and programmes. All television stations, cinemas and distributers of DVD, video and computer games must display the following signage:

• Family - This is a program/film that does not contain any obsencity, and is suitable for family viewing. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for 30 seconds after each commercial break.

• PG - Children under the age of 12 may watch this program/film, but must be accompanied by an adult. This program contains an adult related theme, which might include very mild language, violence and sexual innuendo. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for 1 minute after each commercial break.

• 13 - Children under the age of 13 are prohibited from watching this program/film. This program contains mild language, violence and sexual innuendo. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for 2 minutes after each commercial break.

• 15 - Children under the age of 15 are prohibited from watching this program/film. It contains moderate violence, language, and some sexual situations. In the case of television, this programme may only be broadcast after 9pm - 4.30am. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for 5 minutes after each commercial break. A full screen warning must be issued before the start of the program. If the program is longer than an hour, a warning must be displayed every half an hour.

• 18 - Children under the age of 18 are prohibited from watching this program/film. It contains extreme violence, language and/or graphic sexual content. In the case of television, this programme may only be broadcast from 10pm - 4.30am. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for the duration of the program. A full screen warning must be issued before the start of the program and after each commercial break.

(The 18 rating does not refer to adult, child or animal pornography - as this is banned from television and cinema by the Film and Publication Board)

• R18 - this is reserved for films of an extreme sexual nature (pornography). R18 films may only be distributed in the form of video and DVD in a controlled environment (eg. Adult Shops). No public viewing of this film may take place. R18 films may not be broadcast on television and in cinemas. This has been breached twice by ETv, where the soft bodering hardcore Emanuelle was screened.

(The R18 rating does not refer to child or animal pornography - as this is totally banned by the Film and Publication Board)

additional symbols:

• V (Violence)
• N (Nudity)
• S (Sex)
• L (Language)

Turkey

RTUK introduced a television rating system, named "Akıllı İşaretler" (Smart Symbols) in 2005.

• General Viewing (Genel İzleyici)
• File:Turkey 7.jpg For 7 or up (7 Yaş ve Üzeri için)
• File:Turkey13.jpg For 13 or up (13 Yaş ve Üzeri için)
• File:Turkey 18.jpg For 18 or up (18 Yaş ve Üzeri için)

These icons can be accompanied by any of the following subratings:

• Dangerous behaviour (Olumsuz Örnek Oluşturabilecek Davranışlar)
• Sexual Activity (Cinsellik)
• Horror/Violence (Korku ve Şiddet)

France

French Television Ratings, as advised by Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA) :

• File:Cat2france.png (Unsuitable for children under 10) : This image is shown at the beginning of the program and after every break. It is translucent. It disappears after a few minutes.
• File:Cat3france.png (Unsuitable for children under 12) : This image is shown at the beginning of the program and after every break. It is translucent. The round "-12" logo is shown for the whole duration of the show.
• File:Cat4france.png (Unsuitable for children under 16) : This image is shown at the beginning of the program and after every break. It is translucent. The round "-16" logo is shown for the whole duration of the show.
• File:Cat5france.png (Unsuitable for people under 18) : This image is shown at the beginning of the program and after every break. It is translucent. The round "-18" logo is shown for the whole duration of the show.

Hungary

The Hungarian television rating system has changed a lot during the last few years. The rating of the aired shows often causes problems because the radio and television authority is considerably strict about which is the appropriate rating category for the programmes. If a show is not marked with the so-called proper rating symbol, the airing channel often has to pay a large amount of penalty to the authority.

Before the year 2002 Hungarian television rating system was pretty simple. Channels could range their programmes into 3 categories:

• Unrated - these programmes could be viewed by anyone without any counterpropoposal
• Not recommended under the age of 14 - Films displaying light violence or with explicit dialogues were ranked into this category. The symbol of the age limit was a blue triangle.
• Not recommended under the age of 18 - Films displaying voilence or sexual content were ranked into this one. The symbol of the category was a filled red circle.

This was not strictly compulsory for the channels to rate their programmes and they did not have to display any symbol on the screen to warn people about the rating category, so eventually the television authority found this system inappropriate.

In 2002 a new rating system was created. Ranking programmes and displaying the rating symbols became compulsory on every Hungarian television channel. The new rating system caused prblems because according to the new decisions channels must display the ranking symbols in every single second of their programmes. People became unhappy with that because the symbols are showy and their constant presence can damage the television machine. Because of the complaints the television authority allowed channels to select if they want to show the rating symbols on the left or on the right side of the screen. Later, channels were also allowed increasing the transparency of the symbols.

In the actual system there are 4 rating categories.

• Unrated, which means that the programme can be viewed by anyone in any age.
• 12, which means that parental guidance is recommended for children below the age of 12. Mostly shows with light sexual content or explicit language use are marked with this. Also most of the films without serious violence or sexual content fit into this category.

Symbol: Yellow circle with "12" written inside.

• 16, which means that watching the programme is not recommended for children below the age of 16. Films displaying displaying violence and obvious sexual content are marked with a yellow circle with "16" written inside.
• 18, which means that it is recommended to watch the programme only above the age of 18 (age of becoming adult according to Hungarian laws). Films displaying particular violence and unvarnished sexual content are marked with a red circle with "18" written inside.

Other countries

• Several television networks in Europe as well as all of Korean television have voluntarily started using similar ratings systems of their own, often using an age designation such as 12, 14, or 16.
• In the Philippines, there are only two television ratings; General Patronage and Parental Guidance. A static Parental Guidance digital on-screen graphic appears during the duration of the program if it was rated as such. Live news programs usually do not carry the graphic, with the exception of entertainment news programs. All programs shown on Philippine free-to-air television channels are reviewed by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board. The board may suspend or cancel programs, but not revoke broadcast franchises.
• The Classifications for Television Viewing in currently used in Malaysia. All television stations in the country (except on satellite television) are permitted to show the ratings at the beginning of a show (news is exceptional). It is optional to show the rating after commercials. Newspapers published in Malaysia are also required to preview television ratings (Some newspapers classify all programs as U unless stated). The ratings used are as follows:
  • U - General viewing for all ages (similar to United Kingdom)
  • 18-SG - For viewers aged 18 and above with non-excessive violent scenes.
  • 18-SX - For viewers aged 18 and above with non-excessive sex scenes.
  • 18-PA - For viewers aged 18 and above with political/religious/counter-culture elements.
  • 18-PL - For viewers aged 18 and above with a combination of two or more elements. (example: A program with excessive sex-scenes and excessive violence will be classified as 18-PL).
• The Television Classification System has been firstly introduced in the Kingdom of Thailand on 1st December 2006. The System is a project of the Government Public Relations Department by the Office of National Broadcasting Commission and all 6 Thai TV stations to set up a procedure of TV program classification. The main 4 (and 3 sub) rating signs (Thai characters) are now shown on screen before and during the duration of the program. However, the stations have to follow the existing laws - do and don't - on broadcasting program. The ratings (translated into English) used are as follows:
  • C - Children: made for children aged 2 - 12.
  • P - Pre-school Children: made for children aged 2 - 6.
  • G - General: for all ages.
  • PG - Parental Guidance: children and youth viewers should be adviced by adults during viewing.

(A rate can be "PG" or specified by age of viewers as "PG13" or "PG18")

• • S - Special: for viewers aged 18 and above only.
• In Argentina. the rating used is the same as the used by the local film bureau. Nevertheless, the rating is not of compulsory use on TV. The ratings are as follow:
  • ATP (Apto para todo público): This programme is for all audiences. The shows with this classification can contain mild violence, language and mature situations. Examples of shows with this rating: Friends, The Nanny, Rugrats.
  • Apto para mayores de 13 años: This programme is for ages 13 and up. Can contain moderate violence, sex and mature situations. Examples of shows with this rating: Smallville, The O.C.
  • Apto para mayores de 16 años: This programme is for ages 16 and up. Can contain strong violence, sex and coarse language.
  • Apto para mayores de 18 años: This programme is exclusively for adult people. Most shows with this rating are erotic shows and movies.

Satire of the Rating System

During the opening sequence of The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror VIII, the FOX censor edits the show, trying to avoid "raunchy NBC-style sex, or senseless CBS-style violence." A rating symbol, starting at "TV-G", hovers behind the censor and stabs him in the back with a sword, each time changing its ratings until it goes to "TV-MA", and then to two nonexistent TV ratings: TV-21 and TV-666.

During the Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law episode The Devlin Made Me Do It, the complexity of the rating system is parodied as Birdman aggressively questions a small child on how easy it is to follow: "Bobby, isn't television safe for the good kids? The ones who go to bed on time and don't file frivolous lawsuits. The kids who understand our simple voluntary TV rating system. TV-Y! TV-Y7! TV-Y7-FV for fantasy violence! How much clearer can we make it, Bobby?"

See also

• Motion picture rating system
• ESRB
• Watershed (television)
• Edited movie

External links

• FCC V-Chip web site
• http://www.tvguidelines.org/ratings.asp
• Media Awareness Network - Canadian TV Classification System
• V-Chip Canada
• TV Watch
• Dutch Kijkwijzer

References

• MediaAwareness.ca
• Broadcasting Standards Authority (New Zealand). Free-to-Air Television Code. Retrieved 2007-07-03.