All Stories FeedFoxtel too hot for MA15+
Foxtel has vowed to clean up its content after the Australian Communications and Media Authority found that it aired programmes breaching the MA15+ classification.
They included programmes that had received an R18+ classification from the Classification Board due to impactful nudity and sexual content.
The shows in question were Cathouse – (Showtime Channel), The Wonderful World of Sex (The Comedy Channel) and Naked Wild On (E! Entertainment Channel).
In an episode of The Wonderful World of Sex, the National Classification Board indicated a woman at a sex show rubs her hands over the genitals of another woman simulating clitoral stimulation. Nudity was considered high in impact, transgressing the classification it had been given of MA15+.
The Comedy Channel website indicates: “It’s all MA rated and cheaper than the adult channel – brilliant!.”
In Naked Wild On! (pictured) American students are seen dancing, drinking and with full nudity, including with narration that increased its impact. One girl who was hosed down removed her underwear with a close up of her genitals. Its episodes are include the titles ‘Buxom Beauties’, ‘Latin American Hotties’ and ‘Even Nakeder.’
Content higher than MA15+ can only be shown on narrowcasting such as the Adult Channel with lockout.
“The ACMA considers classification-related breaches which are at the upper threshold of what may be broadcast on Australian television as particularly serious. While recognising the challenges faced by Foxtel in providing a large number of channels to consumers, the ACMA has particular concerns about the contractual arrangements licensees have in place for the classification of programming,” said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman.
Foxtel has now agreed to put in place more rigorous classification procedures including employing a full-time, experienced, in-house classifier, sending staff to annual training conducted by the Classification Board and developing, implementing and maintain a classification compliance strategy.
All channels will now confirm in writing that they will comply with the strategy.
This is the first time an enforceable undertaking has been offered and accepted from the Pay TV sector, following a similar undertaking by Nine in relation to Underbelly and Gordon Ramsay.
“By offering the ACMA an enforceable undertaking, Foxtel has acknowledged the seriousness of the classification breach findings and taken a responsible approach with a view to ensuring that breaches of this nature do not occur again,” said Mr Chapman.
“While many aspects of the undertaking are formal codification of initiatives recently instituted by Foxtel in response to better understandings gleaned by it through the investigations, Foxtel’s professional and thoughtful approach is acknowledged. In particular, the embedding of the Classification Compliance Policy in third-party channel agreements is a noteworthy initiative.”
TV Tonight is currently conducting an Audience Inventory including questions on Pay TV, issues of classification, late-night adult advertisements and punishment for Breaches of Codes of Practice. The survey closes on August 31st.
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E! should be embarrassed that they air Naked Wild On, but that said, when you’re paying for content on home video or in a theatre you can see R stuff, so if you’re paying for subscription TV it should be the same. Especially on specific packages like Showtime where you except high impact stuff. And especially given that this stuff is probably exclusively on late at night!
Wait a minute, nudity and sex is bad, but watching another man sh*te on another man in a tent on the beach for his own personal amusement and that of his friends (MTV – Dirty Sanchez) is quite ok?
Why, that makes perfect sense…
This makes Foxtel sound like a bunch of 2nd. raters unable to regulate their own interests. Right on!
as soon as we consign the two major parties to the dustbin and get the liberal democrats in, the better off we’ll be.
It’s a funny old world in 2009 when boobs & butts draw on Foxtel draw censure, and the solid diet of graphically depicted law and disorder served on FTA hardly raises an eyebrow. Personally I’d rather watch the tongue in cheek “The wonderful world of sex” than offerings like “Criminal Minds” and “Without a trace”.
A few years ago the comedy channel screened an HBO documentary series called “Real Sex” and I don’t remember a fuss over this.
The definition of narrowcast is very ambiguous. Every channel on pay tv could be classed as narrowcast.
Fox Sports – Becasue it appeals to people who like sport. And thats not all of the population. It would be a limited auidence.
Disney – Cause its aimed at children and not general population.
World Movies – Aimed at people who enjoy reading subtitles.
Showtime – Aimed at people who like popcorn movies and don’t like reading subtitles.
If you don’t like a show or a channel don’t watch it. I can’t stand ACC yet I’m not watching it and then writing complaint letters to ACMA moaning about the content.
These people need to get a life.
Let those who want to enjoy what paytv has to offer to view it uncut and uncensored and let those who are offended by boobs. bums and other body parts watch free to air tv.
This is the very reason why we don’t see R rated movies on Showtime or Movie One. And its a shame really because it ends up spoiling the quality and enjoyment of a movie or tv show. eg, Rome, True Blood, Kill Bill. Halloween
Reubot
I remember seeing the MTV awards broadcast live from Sydney, with absolutely No censorship.
Four letter words and obscenities went to air, this would not be tolerated elsewhere.
Let alone a station that targets children and the “youth audience”.
Kev, according to the broadcasting act (I had a quick look):
Subscription narrowcasting services are broadcasting services:
(a) whose reception is limited:
(i) by being targeted to special interest groups; or
(ii) by being intended only for limited locations, for example, arenas or business premises; or
(iii) by being provided during a limited period or to cover a special event; or
(iv) because they provide programs of limited appeal; or
(v) for some other reason; and
(b) that are made available only on payment of subscription fees (whether periodical or otherwise); and
(c) that comply with any determinations or clarifications under section 19 in relation to subscription narrowcasting services.
(Section 19 basically says the ACMA can determine addition criteria)
I can see where Adults Only (iii, iv) and World Movies (i) fit.. I don’t know which one E! would come under, I could only assume iv.
John Bailey, I don’t know what you talking, there are hardly any programs on MTV which go beyond M..
About time Foxtel was held accountable.
Even some of the content on MTV is questionable.
I’m displaying my ignorance here but I’m not a pay TV subscriber. What is meant by “narrowcast”?
Glenn Petrie, yes we do, however it is restricted to narrowcast channels such as Adults Only and World Movies.
We can’t even have R18+ content on Pay TV. Shame.
According to the ACMA website E! is a narrowcast channel so the only issue there is the actual misrating.
At least l wll save some money when l get rid of e channel
If I remember correctly, this all Brian Harradines fault – he was the one that made R18+ material restricted to narrowcast channels, and wouldn’t pass anything less…
And yet we can still see a person being shot in the head. Go figure! I know which I would rather see.
There’s more room to move in Drama. Simulated is ok (or as you say, even stimulated!). The issue here was they fell into reality and documentary, so they weren’t actors.
Underbelly s2 had far more naked male & female front & back nudity, but Showcase’s “Satsifaction” series is more sexier & has many stimulated sex scenes.
This country’s stuffed! Mind you, it’s the greatest country in the world.
Grow some balls Foxtel and then televise them in HD, during primetime.
Thankyou wowsers! Good forbid adults should be able to watch softcore porn on TV!
Leon, World Movies has a narrowcast license.
Seems to me that censorship was getting in the way of correct classification.
@ Leon, do they actually classify those films R though?
My knowledge of Pay TV censorship of sketchy at best, but I always thought it was legal to air R rated material, just uncommon.
i assumed foxtel could show r18+ content on any of their channels as sometimes mainstream r18+ movies are shown on the movie channels. i guess no one must have complained before so the amca would have ben powerless to act. it’s ridiculous how you can see r18+ movie at the cinemas and on dvd, but not on tv. why should everything shown on tv be suitable for a 15 year old(ma15+)
Yay for wowserism!
I wonder what that means for World Movies?? they play some R-Rated stuff..
This may sound prudish, but I’d prefer it if exploitative nudity was kept off TV. There’s a time and place for that kind of thing, and domestic TV isn’t it.
But then, my approach to nakedness is a complicated case of affairs.
Parents can use the parental lock!
Me, I’ll watch it all….:)
Seems like a perfect opportunity for Showtime to take one of those extra channels and turn it into “Showtime: Adults Only” or something like that.
Still peeves me though. If I want to watch smut, I’ll watch it. I don’t want someone telling me what I’m capable to handle.
I pay for this service so let me choose what I want to watch !!!!!
PS: mind you, this would not be my choice !!!!
What are Foxtel’s obligations as to time of M, MA+ programming? Can they show these programs 24/7 due to having the ‘parental lock’?
One would think the titles would be enough for those with delicate constitutions to get the hint and steer clear – ‘Naked Wild On’ or ‘The Wonderful World of Sex’ – pretty much gives it away I’d have thought.
They should be allowed to show R rated stuff on any channel, as long as there is a decent parental lockout feature, as there already is..
Aren’t all these shows shown after midnight in any case? The same time that you can see on free to air subscription mobile ads offering you alot worse than anything you see on TV? Just a phone call away?
When will these clowns let us – we fine folk – make decisions on what to watch, for ourselves? Is this freaking North Korea or China all of a sudden?
We all look at voilence and say yeah no problem, but as soon as some boobs appear there is an outcome.
Won’t somebody please think of the children!