Regulatory Bodies in Media

1. REGULATORY BODIES

3. BRITISH BOARD OF FILM CLASSIFICATIONS
The BBFC publishes short but detailed information about all the films
and videos we rate. This is called BBFCinsight. It gives parents a clear
idea of how and why films have been rated and what issues the films
contain. BBFCinsight helps parents, carers and other viewers make
informed choices about what they watch. It is displayed under the title
and running time for each film.

4. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), before 1985 known as
British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organization,
founded by the film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national
classification and censorship of films within the United Kingdom.
It has a statutory requirement to classify videos, DVDs and, to a
lesser extent, some video games under the Video Recordings Act 2010.

8. ADVERTISING STANDARDS AUTHORITY
The Advertising Standards Authority is the UK’s independent regulator of
advertising across all media. We apply the Advertising Codes, which are
written by the Committees of Advertising Practice.
Our work includes acting on complaints and proactively checking the media
to take action against misleading, harmful or offensive advertisements.

11. Pan European Game Information (PEGI) is a European video game content
rating system established to help European consumers make informed decision
on buying computer games.
It was developed by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE) and
came into use in April 2003; it replaced many national age rating systems with
a single European system.
PEGI is used and recognised throughout Europe and has the enthusiastic
support of the European Commission. It is considered to be a model of
European harmonisation in the field of the protection of children.
On 30 July 2012, PEGI became the sole system for age classification of video
games in the UK. As a result, games no longer have to be rated separately by
the BBFC.

15. The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) was a voluntary regulatory body for
British printed newspapers and magazine, consisting of representative of the
major publishers.
The PCC was funded by the annual levy it charges newspapers and
magazines. It has no legal powers – all newspapers and magazines
voluntarily contribute to the costs of, and adhere to the rulings of, the
Commission, making the industry self-regulating
The PCC received extensive criticism for its lack of action in the News of the
Owrls phone hacking affair, including from MPs and Prime Minister David
Cameron, who called for it to be replaced with a new system in July 2011.
The Press Complaints Commission closed on 8 September 2014 and has been
replaced

17. INDEPENDENT PRESS STANDARDS ORG
IPSO is an independent regulator of the newspaper and magazine industry, and
exists to promote and uphold the highest professional standards of journalism in
the UK, and to support members of the public in seeking redress where they
believe that the Editor’s Code of Practice has been breached.
The Editor’s code deals with issues such as accuracy, invasion of privacy,
intrusion into grief or shock and harassment. IPSO is able to consider concerns
about editorial content in newspapers and magazine, and about the conduct of
journalists.
IPSO handles complaints, and conducts its own investigations into editorial
standards and compliance. It also undertake monitoring work, including by
requiring publications to submit annual compliance reports.
IPSO has the power, where necessary, to require the publication of prominent
corrections and critical adjudications, and may ultimately fine publications in
cases where failings are particularly serious and systemic.

19. OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for
the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United
Kingdom.
Ofcom has wide-ranging powers across the tv, radio, telecoms and postal
sectors. It has a statutory duty to represent the interests of citizens and
consumers by promoting competition and protecting the public from harmful or
offensive material.
Some of the main areas Ofcom presides over are licensing, research, codes and
policies, complaints, competition and protecting the radio spectrum from abuse.
The regulator was initially established by the Office of Communications Act
2002 and received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003.