The document discusses several regulatory and professional bodies within the UK creative media sector, including the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) which regulates media content, PEGI which provides age ratings for video games, the Film Distributors Association (FDA) which represents film distributors, and the Video Standards Council (VSC) which checks video game ratings. It also mentions Ofcom as the communications regulator, Trading Standards for protecting consumers, the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) for handling press complaints, and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for regulating advertising content. One example discussed is how Paddy Power received complaints and fines over an insensitive advert related to the Oscar Pistorius trial.

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

2. British Board of Film Classification
(BBFC)
 The BBFC is guide to media content that is trusted. They work as
an independent, self-financing and not-for-profit media content
regulator. The BBFC operates transparent consistent, trusted co-
regulatory and self regulatory classification and labelling systems
in the UK.
 They are highly experienced and their mission is to protect the
public (especially children) from any content that could raise
harmful ricks. To empower the public (especially parents) to make
viewing choices recohniseable and respect their freedom. Respond
and reflect changing socal attitudes towads the media content
through public consultation and research. Also provide an effective
service to enforcement agensies.

3. PEGI
 Pegi stands for Pan European Game Information. It is a
company that considers the age of suitablity of a game, not
the level of difficulty.
 Age rating systems are used to ensure that the enertaintment
content such as films, videos, DVD's and computer games are
clearly labelled by age according to the content they contain.
They provide guidance to consumers to help them whether of
not the product is suitable.
 37% of the population in the UK aged between 16 - 49
describe themselves as 'active gamers'. The rating shown on
the game confirms that it is suitbale for a player over a
certain age, depending on content of the game depends on
the age shown. A PEGI 7 game is only suitable for players
aged 7+ and a PEGI 18 is only suitbale forplayers 18+.

4. Film Distributors
Association
 The FDA is a trade body for theatrical film distributors in the
UK. These are the people that release films for the UK cinema
audiences. Originally they were estabished in 1915. The FDA
cooperate with many individuals, companies and organisations.
They prepresent a distribution stance in regular representations
and consultations with the UK film coucil, government and
other trade organisations in the film industry.
 They are also a founder member of AIM (All Industry Marketing
for Cinema). This company is a generic marketing body that
helpy to increased and broaden the UK cinema audience.
 The FDA also works with the industry's on going efforts to tackle
film privacy and theft. They are members of FACT (Federation
Against Copyright Theft) and the alliance of IP theft.

5. Video Standards Council (VSC)
 Established in 1989 the VSC is a non-profit body, it also
supports anit-piracy activities . It is the second PEGI
administrator and is based in the UK. It checks mostly higher
age games (12, 16,18) ratings against the PEGI criteria.
 The VSC is a standard body for the video and video game
industries, it has the code of practice to ensure that both
industries show a duty of care whilst dealing with customers
and the public.
 The code of practice rules are a mixture of the law, proper
business practices and common sense. It provides it's retailer
members with a staff training course also, dealing with age
restricted videos, DVD's and video games.

6. Office for Communication
(Ofcom)
 OfCom stands for The Office of Communications. It's a
government approved regulatory authority that regulates
the telecommunication industry in the UK. It was established
as an act of parliament in 2002 under the Communications
Act of 2002. OfCom regulates TV, radio, fixed line telecoms,
mobiles and wireless device airwaves.
 It’s main priority is to regulate and gather complaints from
all forms of media one of the latest scandals was a paddy
power advert for the Oscar pistoriuos trial.

7. Trading Standards Central
 In 2010 TSC created a manifesto to provide a profile of trading
standards
 TS Manifesto Trading Standards
 Experts 'on the beat', implementing national policy to support fair
and competitive markets, honest enterprise and good business.
 Protecting standards, an on-the-ground activity that is vital to the
livelihoods and safety of our communities.
 A friend to the consumer, an advisor to businesses and the scourge
of the scammer, rip-off merchant and serious organised crime.
 A brand reassuring to consumers and business alike and an integral
part of consumer, citizen and business confidence.

8. Press Complaints
Commission (PCC)
 The PCC deals with complaints from members of the public. It is an
independent body which administers the system of self-regulation for
the press. The purpose of the PCC is to serve the public by holding
editors to account. They protect the rights of individuals, whilst also
preserving appropriate freedom of expression from the press.
 http://www.pcc.org.uk/cop/practice.html
 This is a link to the steps the PCC take when pressing charges against
a person or company.

9. Advertising Standards
Authority(ASA).
 ASA involves a role to regulate the content of adverts, sales promotions
and direct marketing in the UK, by investigating complaints made about
the adverts, and deciding whether the adverts complies with the
advertising standards codes.
 The codes stipulate that before distributing or submitting a marketing
communication or publication. Marketers must hold documentary
evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable
of objective substantiation. Also no marketing communication should
mislead or be likely to mislead by inaccuracy exaggeration or omission
otherwise. Anyone can ask the ASA to investigate an advert.
 If there is a problem with it, the authority can tell the company to
change or remove it.

10. Oscar Pistorious Trial / Paddy
Power
 On august 19th 2013 Oscar pistoriuos was officially charged with the
murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp as the trial started Paddy
Power placed an advert in the national papers offering odds on
whether Oscar pistoriuos was innocent or guilty within days there
were millions of complaints over the advert and it’s insensitivity and in
due course was removed from circulation paddy power did issue an
apology for the advert and were fined.
 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/oscar-
pistorius/10759350/Oscar-Pistorius-murder-trial-live.html

11. References……..