Media RegulationTheoretical Perspectives

The Byron Review 2008 - Government Commissioned

Media may have some influence on negative behaviour in children, but it

should not be singled out as a cause; specific

sociocultural and psychological

context is crucial

Dr. Tanya Byron

There is no evidence of

‘desensitisation’ from playing video

games; idea of games as addictive

is based on prejudice

The Byron Review 2008 - Government Commissioned

There is no evidence of

‘desensitisation’ from playing vide

games; idea of games as addictive

is based on prejudice

Douglas Gentile - Media Effects Researcher

Offers a range of scientific ‘proof’ that

antisocial and dangerous

behaviour increases due to playing

violent video games

Mark Kermode - Critic

The public has a responsibility to look after itself and they are

giving this up to the regulators

Accuses the BBFC of being more liberal in their classification

of ‘Arthouse’ cinema; taking into account assumptions

about the white, middle-class, middle-aged audience

O Davey - Critic

Violence plays a vital part in all our lives; it is often the catalyst for other emotions that lead to films being made that express these.

Violence cannot be

distinguished from

film as we cannot

distinguish violence

from life

Martin Barker - Media Effects Researcher

We need to see violence as it is

part of real life and helps us to

understand the world we live in.

We are able to make a distinction between real and onscreen violence; it is the conent, not the amoaunt of violence that matters

Example

Example

Film

✤ Research by the BBFC has found that audiences are concerned about violence and drug-taking, rather than sex.

✤ Now, more films being passed at feature explicit sexual scenes, such as 9 Songs in 2005.

Video Games

✤ The current video game debate is the same as the video nasty debate of the 1980s

✤ Regulation is unlikely to decline

✤ Despite recent changes, the UK is still the most heavily regulated nation in Europe

✤ Future regulation of content will focus more on video games and interactive media

✤ Legislation will be needed to combat the increasing fluidity between different - and differently regulated - media