Cmon Sifon, I think Luke’s expertise on this topic far exceeds that of a researched article on a reputable website. He is the Movieman, after all.
Look, I don’t know the code for subscription television.
But all I’m saying is, high-impact content AFAIK is only allowed on the “world movies channel”.
Game of Thrones would definitely haven been edited, it’s common sense?
(e.g.) heads getting sliced off… explicit sex…?
Subscription television is responsible for classifying their own content under the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association (ASTRA) Code of Practice. The “justified by context” rider probably allows more than you may think.
That is all good and well (also thank you for providing that).
But the fact remains, “high impact” (R18+) content can not air on free-to-air or subscription television (except for “World Movies Channel”).
Some “Game of Thrones” episodes have high impact violence (heads being sliced off, etc) and sex scenes (highest impact viewable, without actually being pornograpic).
So do you see what I’m getting at?
I can’t actually speak from experience, but I’m pretty sure that the “Adults Only” pay per view channels show “high impact” R18+ content…
I think that was the channel I was meaning, sorry
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Also, Hannibal just aired on 7Flix, one of the scenes the Classification Review Board mentioned as being “high in impact” and contributing to the upgraded R18+ classification aired uncut just then…
Ch 7 did breach the code
(But as somebody pointed out, it seems the movie was re-classified in 2009 as MA15+ when the Blu-Ray was released, so perhaps not?)
I would say Seven didn’t breach the code. The movie was most recently classified as MA 15+.
If you have a problem you can send a complaint to Seven.
https://complaints.freetv.com.au/Submission
If you don’t know the code for subscription television, why are you stating “facts” about it?
Well, I was meaning I don’t know whether R18+ is allowed on subscription TV.
Which it turns out, is allowed on the Adults Only channel or world movies channel or whatever.
But in terms of R18+ level content, that doesn’t change among codes!
Recorded the movie last night, just to see.
And yep, Ch 7 broadcast the movie uncut.
Which, seeing as the “DVD” version was never re-classified (despite the Blu-Ray of the same version being classified down to MA15+ in 2009) is an R18+ movie & the network breached the code.
I mean, Ray Liotta’s scene where Anthony Hopkins cuts the top of his skull off, revealing his brain & curting a piece off, cooking it & getting Liotta to eat it… EXPLICITLY!?
My God, if that is not high in impact, I don’t know what else is.
How does one explicitly eat? Naked?
You do know what the word “explicit” means right?
Yes, but I’m not sure why it needed to be said, in CAPS no less. What did you expect in a movie about a cannibal?
If they broadcast the MA 15+ version - the Blu-Ray classification (which is the most probable conclusion) then they wouldn’t have breached the code.
But they’re both the same version!
I know the Classification Board has come under Government scrutiny before for this, but one panel giving it R18+ & another giving it MA15+ 8 years later for the exact same version is ridiculous.
Anyway, I’ll stop my tirade now, I just hope people understand what I am getting at.
NB/
Because (I know from reading articles before) that all television networks contact the Classification Board for movies’ up-to-date reports, to assist them in classifying.
Does Foxtel get an opportunity to rate the program before it goes to air? (For clarity sake, fast-tracked programming)
Exactly! So it’s MA 15+.
ACMA states that classification warnings must be broadcast at the start of every non-news/sport program and movie. It must be “prominant and legible”.
Looking at the networks’ classification warnings…
•Seven:
Large bug in top left-hand corner. Rotates through consumer advice. Follows old ACMA consumer advice wording. Prominant & legible (even though they no longer use a full screen board & V/O).
Nine:
Medium text box in the bottom right-hand corner. Consumer advice in full. Mostly follows old ACMA consumer advice wording. Legible but not really prominant (IMO).
Ten:
Medium text box in the top-left hand corner. Consumer advice in full. They now use their own wording (e.g.) just “violence”. Prominant but not really legible (you almost have to squint - IMO).
Wonder just how many complaints have been lodged with each network (I’d imagine many) & furthermore the ACMA over the past year, since the code changed?
Not many it seems.
http://acma.gov.au/theACMA/ACMAi/Investigation-reports/Television-investigations/2016-television-investigations
You do realise they’re just the ACMA investigations?
Once a network has received a complaint, responded & a viewer still isn’t satisfied?
All neteorks receive hundreds of complaints a year (from reports, etc. I have read before)