Seven are now broadcasting on 7Two late at night British-produced Nordic chiller (no pun intended) Fortitude, which has been available on 7Plus for some months, starring Hollywood actors like Stanley Tucci and Dennis Quaid.
Most seasons received an R18+ rating from the ACB, having watched the series some years ago (it is quite good but definitely not for the faint hearted), it is extremely graphic in its violence and bizarre paranormal thematic content.
I’d imagine Seven have had to edit the episodes to be brought down to MA15+, which guides are showing.
I noticed Seven breached the Code on Saturday night, airing Prince of Thieves uncut as “PG: Some Violence”. They aired an F-word by Christian Slater’s character near the end, after Kevin Coster’s Robin Hood is catapulted (the movie also contains several other PG-level or lower profanities). I double checked the 7Plus upload too.
It is actually “M: Coarse Language” by the Classification Board in 1991 and again for DVD in 2003.
There are actually two versions, one modified PG (same print as the UK I think which was heavily edited) including a DVD in 2001. I think Seven possibly were a bit lazy, didn’t actually review the file, just looked up the database and accidentally selected the wrong classification. Not sure if they had a master and had aired it previously, Nine and I think Ten have played it in the past.
It’s now licenced by Sony* (Seven’s airing had a SPTV end-tag) for broadcasters/streamers and Warners for home media. Used to be Roadshow for TV. Co-released/copyright by Morgan Creek (overseas distributor and via Roadshow here) and Warners in 1991.
*Morgan Creek’s library for overseas sales was sold to Revolution in 2014 and since 2019 Sony handle Revolution’s overseas TV/digital sales.
As per the Broadcast Act and TV Code, coarse language has an impact scale (and used to have a ‘list’ AFAIK) which determines its content level (classification) and within has an intensity, frequently and justification by context parameters. Classifiers also look at the treatment of such language, such as the F-word (i.e.) aggressive, assaultive, sexually explicit, threatening, menacing, harmful, confronting, etc.
(e.g.) “motherf * cking co * ksucker” by Steve Carell’s character in the iconic waxing scene during The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005) put the film straight into the MA15+ rating, as ‘very coarse’ (also used for the C-word) and both those words by themselves would be at the upper limits of the M rating anyway. The film also had non-stop F-words. So when Ten, Seven and Nine aired it, they used the prescribed consumer advice “Frequent Very Coarse Language” to clearly indicate what to expect.
In the case of tonight’s Ego special, as long as the F-word is not frequent overall (meaning it can be frequent in nature such as a series of F-words in a few instances or a short amount of time but not non-stop overall across a broadcast), as well as not being overly sexual and aggressive and not the more coarser derivative ‘mother------’ or combined with harsher language, it should be okay for ‘M’ and allowed in the post 2015 zone of 7:30pm unedited.
Maybe. Just because M it’s an M zone, doesn’t mean lower classifications can’t be aired there still, which they often still are (even if edited) and as you say networks regularly still use it as ‘family’ timeslots.
Nine’s MA classification for this also included “violence” (despite the Classification Board only deeming the violence as M-level), along with “sex” and “language” which the CB did have at an MA-level
While it does happen, it’s rare, that both the CB and broadcasters, list consumer advice despite it being at a lower-level than said classification and technically not contributing to it. Usually done as a pure extra advisory, whereby it may be of value for viewers/parents/guardians to know such content also exists, most likely for a particular reason (scene).
Another MA rated film on TV during daytime today, Oprhan (2009) [WB] on ABC Entertains, starring Vera Farmiga, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jimmy Bennett and Peter Sarsgaard (a top horror-thriller with plot twists by the way).
–
Also, caught a scene of 1996 medical psychological-thriller “Extreme Measures” starring Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker and Gene Hackman last week, also this same timeslot and there was a series of F-bombs. Thought it highly unusual, especially being a Sunday morning, can’t imagine parents would be too impressed if young children came across it, which could be very possible given the day, time and being an ABC channel. Even if classification is advertised on-air, EPG and guides plus parental controls are available and maybe nothing illegal if ABC’s Code allows.
7mate’s Friday night movie in Melbourne and Adelaide not starting until 8:30pm tonight (usually it’s after 7:30pm), due to Fifty Shades of Grey being rated MA and Seven mustn’t have/been able to edit an M version.
–
My Massive Cock is airing on SBS Viceland tonight, also a Daily Pick from TVT, previous ran on Stan and was R18+. SBS have it as MA, wonder if it has been edited. Pretty explicit for FTA, even for today and a public broadcaster.
Not a matter of the calendar year, but rather right and wrong. As a FTA broadcaster in the uniquely privileged position to reach viewers from 1 to 100 without barriers, there are some obligations, particularly in a time where significant pockets of society are clearly degrading thanks to social media and the unfiltered content exposure that it provides.
