The document summarizes several regulatory and professional bodies within the UK creative media sector, including the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), Pan European Game Information (PEGI), Film Distributors Association, Video Standards Council (VSC), Office of Communications (Ofcom), Trading Standards Institute, Press Complaints Commission (PCC), and Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). It provides a brief overview of each organization's role and responsibilities in classifying, rating, and regulating various forms of media in the UK.

1. REGULATORY AND PROFESSIONAL
BODIES WITHIN THE CREATIVE
MEDIA SECTOR
CHLOE KYRIACOU
Task 3 Understand the Regulation of
the Media Sector

2. The British Board of Film Classification are a
non governmental organization that are
responsible for the national classification and
censorship of all movies in the UK. They are
funded by the film industry and are required
to classify both video and DVD’s. It was first
set up by members of the film industry as
they would rather manage there own
censorship than have the government do it
for them. They follow the ‘The cimetorgaph
Act 1909’- this is a legal act that states all
cinemas must have a license from the local
authority.
The BBFC website states that there mission is
too ‘ protect the public, and especially
children, from content that may raise harm
or risk’.
BRITISH BOARD OF FILM CLASSIFICATION
(BBFC)
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/

3. PEGI
PEGI short for Pan European Game Information is a
video game content rating system. They ensure that all
media related products such as films, music videos,
DVD’s and games are clearly labeled with right age
rating age and that it is clearly visible to all European
consumers. They also help customers make informed
decisions about buying computer games with logos on
game’s boxes. They follow a code of conduct which all
publishers using the PEGI system is required to do by
law. The age rating is used to advise consumers on the
suitability of the content rather than the difficulty.
IN 2012 they became the sole age classifiers of games in
the United Kingdom meaning it is no long up to the
BBFC to rate games.
http://www.pegi.info/en/index/

4. FILM DISTRIBUTORS
ASSOCIATION
The Film Distribution Association are the
company that release films for UK cinema
audiences. They liaise and work with a wide
range of individuals, organizations and
companies in the film industry. First established
in London in 1915, there job is too try and
prevent piracy and theft and act as generic
marketing body.
The three major roles the film distributors are in
charge of is finance, promotion and business.
•Finance: selection of films and financing of
prints and advertising.
•Promotion: choosing when the film will be
released, selecting who will be in charge of
advertising and choosing which bit’s pf the film
can be used for trailer purposes.
•Business: selecting which cinemas will air the
film.
http://www.launchingfilms.com/

5. VIDEO STANDARDS COUNCIL
(VSC)
The video standards council or VSC for
short is made up of a board of directors,
representatives of the game industry and
members of the family and child welfare
sector. The are a not for profit company
set up in the 80’s as a response to the
governments concerns about the gaming
industry. They have an established code of
practice which aims to promote high
standards within the video and games
industry. The code incorporates a mixture
of ‘the law, proper business practices and
common sense.’ The VSC are the ‘statutory
body responsible for the age rating of
video in the UK using the PEGI system.’
They aim to protect both children, young
people-and the rest of the public- from
harmful or unsuitable material and
content.
http://www.videostandards.org.uk/VSC/what.html

6. • Ofcom or Office of Communications is a government-approved regulatory authority
for the broadcasting, postal and telecommunication industries in the United
kingdom. They regulate:
• Radio
• Telephone
• Broadband
• Postal Services
• TV
They are also responsible for the management and regulation of spectrum licensing
and protection. Ofcom have a wide range of powers across all the platforms. They
have a duty to represent the public by promoting competition and to protect us
from harmful or offensive material. Ofcom regulates a lot of "areas" but they
prioritize some over others- these include any issues concerning:
• Complaints
• Research
• Codes and Policies
• Competitions
• Protecting the radio spectrum from abuse
• Licencing
OFFICE FOR COMMUNICATION
(OFCOM)

7. They represent trading standards
professionals both in the UK and overseas.
They make sure that what we consume
whether it be entertainment wise, produce
or environmentally is up to top standards.
They work with local authorities,
business’s, consumer sectors and within
the government.
TRADING STANDARDS INSTITUTE
http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/

8. PRESS COMPLAINTS COMMISSION (PCC)
The press complaints commission or PCC for short are an
independent body which deal with complaints made
against magazines, newspapers and journalists within
terms of the ‘Editors Code of Practice’ . They deal with
complaints against editorial content, both visually and
audio-visually in print and on paper and with the
conduct of journalists. There aim is to ‘strive to protects
the rights of individuals, while at the same time
preserving appropriate freedom of expression for the
press.’ The commission is made up of seventeen
members, ten of which are general members of the
public and have no relation to the magazine or
newspaper industry and seven which are serving editors.
The ‘Editor Code of Practice’ agreed upon by both the
magazine and newspaper industry covers legal issues
such as the accuracy and privacy in reporting and the
manner in which journalist collect there material.
http://www.pcc.org.uk/AboutthePCC/WhatisthePCC.html

9. ADVERTISING STANDARDS AUTHORITY(ASA)
The advertising standards authority or ASA is the only independent regulator of all advertisements across
all media platforms in the UK. There Job is too act on complaints made by the public or other companies
and to continuously regulate the media to make sure no 'misleading, harmful or offensive
advertisements' are made. According to their website, their mission is to 'ensure that advertising in all
media is legal, decent, honest and truthful, to the benefit of consumers, business and society.' ASA will
investigate:
Printed Media
•Broadcast Media
•Direct Marketing
•Internet Marketing
•Sales Promotions
•They will typically not take in to account complaints made on an advertisement that has been around for
more than 3 months- there are a few exceptions for this rule.
They apply the 'advertising codes', these are a set of rules and guidelines written by the 'committee of
advertising practice' that must be followed. The codes specify that 'before distributing or submitting a
marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all
claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation.'
If a complaint is made about an advertisement they will investigate to see if it meets there 'advertising
standards codes.' ASA will then contact the advertisers to get there views on the advertisement, both the
advertiser and complainant will be asked to give a written statement which will then be submitted to the
'Independent Advertising Standards Authority Council.' The complaint will be in there hands and they will
vote on whether they should uphold the complaint or not.
ASA has investigated cases that involve a lot of well known brands and companies such as L'Oreal, Asda
and Ryanair. Apple have have been involved in two major rulings by ASA in 2004 and then again in 2008
over claims they made about two of there products which they were not able to prove.
http://www.asa.org.uk/

10. On the 18th
of October 2008 during a live air on BBC 6 Music
Radio, Russell brand and host Jonathan Ross made a series of
phone calls to Andrew Sachs leaving inappropriate voicemails
about his granddaughter. The mail on Sunday were first to
break the story after numerous complaints were made to
Ofcom.
The BBC suspended both presenters, however Russell Brand
decided to resign from his co-host position.
Since so many complaints were made to Ofcom, they had an
act of duty to do something about it. It was finalised that the
BBC would be fined and had to pay up a total of £150,000 for
airing the calls and not cutting the broadcast short.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/3274807/Transcrip

11. HTTP://WWW.BBFC.CO.UK/
HTTP://WWW.PARENTPORT.ORG.UK/FIND-OUT-MORE/BBFC
HTTP://WWW.PEGI.INFO/EN/INDEX/
HTTP://WWW.PEGI.INFO/EN/INDEX/ID/28/
HTTP://UK.IGN.COM/WIKIS/CONTENT-RATINGS/PEGI
HTTP://WWW.FIAD.EU/#!WHAT-DOES-A-FILM-DISTRIBUTOR-DO/C9L2
HTTP://WWW.LAUNCHINGFILMS.COM/ABOUT-US
HTTP://WWW.VIDEOSTANDARDS.ORG.UK/VSC/WHAT.HTML
HTTP://WWW.OFCOM.ORG.UK/
HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/TRADING_STANDARDS_INSTITUTE