Callum Harrison
Ethical Issues In The Media
Industry
Film Classifications (BBFC)
The BBFC is a non-governmental organisation, funded by
the film industry and responsible for the national
classification and censorship of films within the United
Kingdom. It has been giving films classifications for over
100 years. It has been giving DVD’s and videos their
classifications since 1984 since the video recording act was
passed. The act was introduced for safety reasons after the
release of numerous films that contained violence.
ProsOf The BBFC
The BBFC id very important because it has been proven that if
a child grows up watching inappropriate violent movies then
he/she will grow up to be violent. The BBFC put restrictions on
films in order to ensure that children are not being scared by
the films and are watching things that are appropriate for them
Laws and Legislation Film Breaks
The Movie Human Centipede was banned because it basically broke every
rule that the BBFC had set. The BBFC reviewed the film and told the film
makers that if they wanted the film to be shown they would have to make
32 cuts from the film which would total up to 2 minutes and 37 seconds. If
they didn’t make these cuts then the BBFC would refuse to issue the film
with a classification.
The BOBO Doll Experiment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr0OTCVtHbU
This was an Aggression experiment carried out by Albert Bandura in 1961. The
Aim of the experiment was to prove that children are impressionable and will
copy adults behaviour regardless if it was violent or not. The children in the video
were shown a video an adult hitting the doll and his idea was to see if the child
would copy the adult and hit the doll rather than playing with it. His idea worked
and the children hit it with the hammer and gun rather than using their hands and
pushing the doll like you’re meant to do.
The children that were not shown the violent video did not attack the doll in the
way the kids did that were shown the video.
What Happened Next?
Although The Human Centipede 2 was not released onto
DVD it was still released on the internet for anybody to
watch. This is bad because on the internet there is no way
to identify how old the person watching the film is. When
The BBFC banned the film it instantly makes people want to
watch it more to see what was so bad about it that it was
banned from a UK release and DVD release.
Video Nasty's
These were made by the UK government and were part of a list. On the list are
films that are considered to be ‘Nasty’ basically films that were questioned on
being appropriate. Originally there were 99 films on the list but eventually it got
cut down to 74.
However, a lot of the films on the list are now unbanned and have been shown
on TV. This shows how times have changed because when the list was made
these films were described as unfit to view whereas today they have been
shown to the public. A woman named Mary Whitehouse made the list.
Conclusion
I do think that the BBFC is important because they are trying to
protect children from things they shouldn’t be watching, but I do
question weather the BBFC is needed anymore because if
someone isn't old enough to watch a film they can just go on the
internet to watch it.
I personally think that the BBFC should stay because although
they cant stop people watching the films online, they are still
restricted from watching it in the cinemas and they have to wait in
order to find it online and by the time they can watch it they might
be more interested in another film and forget about the one they
originally wanted to see.

Ethical issues in the media industry

  • 1.
    Callum Harrison Ethical IssuesIn The Media Industry
  • 2.
    Film Classifications (BBFC) TheBBFC is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films within the United Kingdom. It has been giving films classifications for over 100 years. It has been giving DVD’s and videos their classifications since 1984 since the video recording act was passed. The act was introduced for safety reasons after the release of numerous films that contained violence.
  • 3.
    ProsOf The BBFC TheBBFC id very important because it has been proven that if a child grows up watching inappropriate violent movies then he/she will grow up to be violent. The BBFC put restrictions on films in order to ensure that children are not being scared by the films and are watching things that are appropriate for them
  • 4.
    Laws and LegislationFilm Breaks The Movie Human Centipede was banned because it basically broke every rule that the BBFC had set. The BBFC reviewed the film and told the film makers that if they wanted the film to be shown they would have to make 32 cuts from the film which would total up to 2 minutes and 37 seconds. If they didn’t make these cuts then the BBFC would refuse to issue the film with a classification.
  • 5.
    The BOBO DollExperiment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr0OTCVtHbU This was an Aggression experiment carried out by Albert Bandura in 1961. The Aim of the experiment was to prove that children are impressionable and will copy adults behaviour regardless if it was violent or not. The children in the video were shown a video an adult hitting the doll and his idea was to see if the child would copy the adult and hit the doll rather than playing with it. His idea worked and the children hit it with the hammer and gun rather than using their hands and pushing the doll like you’re meant to do. The children that were not shown the violent video did not attack the doll in the way the kids did that were shown the video.
  • 6.
    What Happened Next? AlthoughThe Human Centipede 2 was not released onto DVD it was still released on the internet for anybody to watch. This is bad because on the internet there is no way to identify how old the person watching the film is. When The BBFC banned the film it instantly makes people want to watch it more to see what was so bad about it that it was banned from a UK release and DVD release.
  • 7.
    Video Nasty's These weremade by the UK government and were part of a list. On the list are films that are considered to be ‘Nasty’ basically films that were questioned on being appropriate. Originally there were 99 films on the list but eventually it got cut down to 74. However, a lot of the films on the list are now unbanned and have been shown on TV. This shows how times have changed because when the list was made these films were described as unfit to view whereas today they have been shown to the public. A woman named Mary Whitehouse made the list.
  • 8.
    Conclusion I do thinkthat the BBFC is important because they are trying to protect children from things they shouldn’t be watching, but I do question weather the BBFC is needed anymore because if someone isn't old enough to watch a film they can just go on the internet to watch it. I personally think that the BBFC should stay because although they cant stop people watching the films online, they are still restricted from watching it in the cinemas and they have to wait in order to find it online and by the time they can watch it they might be more interested in another film and forget about the one they originally wanted to see.