The are a method of giving television viewers an idea of the suitability of a television program for children and/or adults. Many countries have their own television rating system. The process of rating differs greatly among the countries. Programs are rated by either the organization that manages the system, the broadcaster, or by the content producers themselves.
A rating is usually set per individual television program. A common mistake is the assumption that a rating for one Episode of a Television Series , applies to all episodes of this series. This is usually not the case. The rating can change per episode, Network , rerun and per country. As such it's impossible to state what kind of rating a program has, without stating when and where this rating applied.
In Argentina , the rating used is the same as the used by the local film bureau. Nevertheless, the rating is not of compulsory use on TV. The ratings are as follows:
- ATP (Apto para todo público): This programme is for all audiences. The shows with this classification can contain mild violence, language and mature situations. Examples of shows with this rating: '' Friends '', '' The Nanny '', '' Rugrats ''.
- Apto para mayores de 13 años: This programme is for ages 13 and up. Can contain moderate violence, sex and mature situations. Examples of shows with this rating: '' Smallville '', '' The O.C ''.
- Apto para mayores de 16 años: This programme is for ages 16 and up. Can contain strong violence, sex and coarse language.
- Apto para mayores de 18 años: This programme is exclusively for adult people. Most shows with this rating are erotic shows and movies.
Commercial television stations in .
The following classification codes apply:
These time zones are further governed by the '' Children's Television Standards 2005 '', over and above the commercial Code of Practice. Both are similar to the G classification below in terms of allowable content, but are specifically targeted at children, whereas G specifies programming content that is suitable for all audiences, but may not necessarily be of interest to children.
rated programming content is intended for pre-schoolers. Commercial stations must show at least 30 minutes of P-rated content each weekday between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. No advertisements may be shown during P-rated programs.
rated programming content is intended for children. Commercial stations must show at least 30 minutes of C-rated content each weekday between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. or between 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.. A further 2.5 hours a week must also be shown either within these time bands or between 7 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on weekends and school holidays, for a total of 5 hours a week (averaged as 260 hours over the course of a year). C-rated content is subject to certain restrictions and limitations on advertising (typically five minutes maximum per 30-minute period, or seven minutes including promotions and community announcements).
With the exception of the rating, which is only used by the commercial TV networks, the ratings are intended to be equivalent to the OFLC classifications of the same name. They are usually presented with the same shape and sometimes colour as their OFLC counterparts.
- - Suitable for all audiences.
- - Parental guidance is recommended for young viewers. PG content can only be broadcast between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and between 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. on weekdays, and between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on weekends.
- - Recommended for mature audiences. M content can only be broadcast between 8:30 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. on any day, and additionally between 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on school days.
- - Not suitable for people under 15. MA15+ content can only be broadcast between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. on any day. Consumer advice is mandatory.
- - Not suitable for people under 15 (adult violence). This is similar to the MA15+ rating, however it is used specifically to differentiate violent programming from that receiving an MA15+ rating for other reasons (such as adult themes, sexual content, coarse language and the like). In all other respects, the content cannot exceed the guidelines for MA15+. AV15+ content can only be broadcast between 9:30 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. on any day (though there has been one exception, Saving Private Ryan which aired at 8:30 p.m. with an additional warning). Consumer advice is mandatory.
The two government-owned TV networks, ABC and SBS , are not bound by the same regulations as their commercial counterparts, and are instead each bound by their own Codes of Practice [http://www20.sbs.com.au/sbscorporate/index.php?id=1061 . The guidelines provided by these Codes are similar but not identical to the Codes of Practice for commercial stations. For example, SBS refers to the rating instead of '''AV15+''' [http://www20.sbs.com.au/sbscorporate/index.php?id=1061#4.7], while ABC does not use the AV/MAV rating at all; instead programs rated MA15+ must not start before 9:30 p.m., instead of 9:00 p.m..
Pay Television networks are also bound by a different Code {Link without Title} to the free-to-air networks. In general, all content on pay TV must still be given one of the above ratings; however, there are not usually restrictions on the time of day any particular programming can be broadcast. There is an R18+ rating for pay TV, but its use is strictly limited to special interest channels.
Consumer advice is compulsory for all MA15+ and AV15+ programs, and one-off programs and very short series classified M or higher (such as Feature Films , Miniseries and Documentaries ). A consumer advice warning is optional for PG material that is broadcast between 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on weekends if the broadcaster believes the material is of an intensity that parents of young children may not expect.
Consumer advice takes the form of a full-screen written and verbal announcement at the start of the program announcing the classification as well as listing the type and strength of any mature content. Examples include "frequent coarse language", "a sex scene", "strong violence", "adult themes" and the like. In addition, where a program carries consumer advice, appropriate abbreviations are displayed along with the classification symbol after each commercial break. They also usually appear in programming guides. In general, these abbreviations are as follows:
- for adult themes
- for violence
- for coarse language
- for sexual references and/or sex scenes
- for horror or supernatural themes
- for drug references and/or drug use
- for nudity
Sometimes, more specific consumer advice is issued, such as:
- for supernatural themes
- for medical procedures
- for war themes or footage
- for colourful behaviour
In other cases, a network may include more specific advice at the start of a program, but then substitute one of the more widespread categories when using the abbreviated form. Others may not use the above examples at all and simply list the content as violence, adult themes, etc.
The Canadian TV Classification System was created for English-language programmers to use in conjunction with the V-chip. The upper-right corner of the Canadian age rating symbols are shaped like the corner of a Maple Leaf , like their national flag. The rating is intended to be shown once an hour, although in the case of longer programs that do not start on the hour, some broadcasters show the rating at the start and at the top of each subsequent clock hour, while others show the rating at the start and again precisely one hour later.
Additionally, should a program contain content potentially unsuitable for some viewers, such as violence, coarse language, or nudity, the broadcaster is obliged to air a disclaimer at the beginning of the program and at the end of each commercial break, advising viewer discretion (such disclaimers are only required for the first hour if airing after 9:00 p.m.). This disclaimer is technically required even if the final commercial break comes immediately before the closing credits, and some (but not all) channels in fact observe this.For further details, refer to the Canadian Association Of Broadcasters Code of Ethics and Voluntary Code Regarding Violence in Television Programming
- : Programming suitable for children under the age of 8 years. No profanity or sexual content of any level allowed. Minimal comedic violence. Similar to TV-Y.
- : Suitable for children ages 8 and over. Low intensity violence and fantasy horror allowed. No foul language but occasional "socially offensive and discriminatory" language allowed if in the context of the story. Little or no sex or nudity. Similar to TV-Y7.
- : General. Similar to the Canadian/American movie rating of the same name; programming suitable for the entire family with minimal violence, and no profanity or sexual content. Similar to TV-G.
- : Parental guidance. Again, similar to the movie rating of the same name. Moderate use of violence and mild profanity allowed, as is brief nudity and sexual references if important to a storyline. Similar to TV-PG.
- : Programming intended for children ages 14 and over. May contain intense scenes of violence, strong profanity, and depictions of sexual activity within the context of a story. Similar to TV-14.
- : Programming intended for viewers ages 18 and over. May contain strong violence, language, and sexual activity. Similar to TV-MA and NR-Adult.
An (no rating will appear on screen) is given to most news and sports programs, documentaries, talk shows, music videos and variety programming because they are exempt programs. Similar to NR.
French-language broadcasters use the Quebec Film Ratings system.
- (General) appropriate for all ages with little or no violence and little to no sexual content.
- appropriate for children 8 and up which may contain little violence, some foul language and/or little to no sexual content.
- appropriate for children 13 and up with moderate violence, language, and some sexual situations. Persons under 13 should be accompanied by an adult.
- appropriate for children 16 and up with strong violence, strong language, and strong sexual content.
- only to be viewed by adults and contains extreme violence and graphic sexual content/ Pornography .
An (no rating will appear on screen) is given to exempt programming, in the same classes used for English Canadian programming above.
French Television Ratings, as advised by Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA) :
- (Unsuitable for children under 10) : This image is shown at the beginning of the program and after every break. It is translucent. It disappears after a few minutes.
- (Unsuitable for children under 12) : This image is shown at the beginning of the program and after every break. It is translucent. The round "-12" logo is shown for the whole duration of the show.
- (Unsuitable for children under 16) : This image is shown at the beginning of the program and after every break. It is translucent. The round "-16" logo is shown for the whole duration of the show.
- (Unsuitable for children under 18) : This image is shown at the beginning of the program and after every break. It is translucent. The round "-18" logo is shown for the whole duration of the show.
The Hungarian television rating system has changed a lot during the last few years. The rating of the aired shows often causes problems because the radio and television authority is considerably strict about which is the appropriate rating category for the programmes. If a show is not marked with the so-called proper rating symbol, the airing channel often has to pay a large amount of penalty to the authority.
Before the year 2002 Hungarian television rating system was pretty simple. Channels could range their programmes into 3 categories:
- Unrated - these programmes could be viewed by anyone without any counterpropoposal
- Not recommended for children under the age of 14 - Films displaying light violence or with explicit dialogues were ranked into this category. The symbol of the age limit was a blue triangle.
- Not recommended for children under the age of 18 - Films displaying violence or sexual content were ranked into this one. The symbol of the category was a filled red circle.
This was not strictly compulsory for the channels to rate their programmes and they did not have to display any symbol on the screen to warn people about the rating category, so eventually the television authority found this system inappropriate.
In 2002 a new rating system was created. Ranking programmes and displaying the rating symbols became compulsory on every Hungarian television channel.
The new rating system caused problems because according to the new decisions channels must display the ranking symbols in every single second of their programmes. People became unhappy with that because the symbols are showy and their constant presence can damage the television machine. Because of the complaints the television authority allowed channels to select if they want to show the rating symbols on the left or on the right side of the screen. Later, channels were also allowed increasing the transparency of the symbols.
In the actual system there are 4 rating categories.
- , which means that the programme can be viewed by anyone in any age.
- , which means that parental guidance is recommended for children below the age of 12. Mostly shows with light sexual content or explicit language use are marked with this. Also most of the films without serious violence or sexual content fit into this category.
Symbol: Yellow circle with "12" written inside.
- , which means that watching the programme is not recommended for children below the age of 16. Films displaying displaying violence and obvious sexual content are marked with a thicker yellow circle with "16" written inside.
- , which means that it is recommended to watch the programme only above the age of 18 (age of becoming adult according to Hungarian laws). Films displaying particular violence and unvarnished sexual content are marked with a red circle with "18" written inside.
In Ireland, RTÉ displays a banner in the top left-hand corner of the screen during the opening screen of a programme. The banner will display either -
- (General Audience/''Lucht Féachana Ginearálta'') - a programme that would be acceptable to all ages and tastes. Examples are '' Ardán '' and '' Neighbours ''.
- (Children/''Páistí'') - a programme aimed specifically at children ages 5-10. May contain mild cartoon or fantasy violence. Examples are '' Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends '' and '' Spongebob Squarepants ''.
- (Young Adult/''Ógra'') - a programme aimed at an Adolescent audience. That is to say it would not be of great interest to an adult. However, it might deal with issues which affect the teenage and late preteen audience, e.g. relationships, sexual activity, sexuality, soft drugs. Parents and guardians could expect that "YA" programmes might contain such material and may choose to limit their children's access. Examples are '' One Tree Hill '' and '' Falcon Beach ''.
- (Parental Supervision/''Treoir Tuismitheora'') - a programme aimed at a mature audience (i.e. It might deal with adult themes, be moderately violent, frightening or contain an occasional swear word.) and the classification label invites parents or guardians to consider restricting children's access. Examples are '' The Simpsons '' and '' Law & Order ''.
- (Mature Audience Only/''Lucht Féachana Lánfhásta Amháin'') - a typical "post-watershed" program which might contain scenes of strong sexual activity and heavy violence, or the dialogue might be profane. Examples are '' Entourage '', '' OZ '', and '' Carnivale ''.
This only applies to the RTÉ channels ( RTÉ One , RTÉ Two & TG4 ), other television channels would usually make a verbal announcement of what a show contains beforehand.
(NOTE: Only Mediaset and La7 make use of the television rating system, even if only movies are rated, while the public broadcasting RAI networks don't)
: all audiences allowed (similar to USA's TV-G; notably, some R-rated movies come under this TV rating, such as, all Beverly Hills Cop movies. In addition, most TV movies produced by Mediaset itself go under this rating, even if they'd normally receive a yellow light, because of violence and/or sexual material)
: children allowed, but parental guidance is strongly advised (similar to TV-PG; Most R-rated movies go under this rating, as well as Mediaset own TV movies with strong content)
: only adult audiences suggested (Similar to TV-14, TV-MA; Many R-rated movie with very strong content come under this rating, as well as many TV serials, e.g. and The Sixth Sense are notable examples)
: no one under 14 should watch the movie (ironically enough, this rating sounds less strict than the previous one, even if movies under this rating contain extreme violence, explicit sex and/or excessive strong language. Movies with an Italian VM14 cinema rating, meaning nobody under 14 are allowed, always come with this TV rating and cannot be broadcast before 10:30 PM in their uncensored form. If they are censored, though, and so they would earn a T cinema rating, they can be broadcast as with a simple Red Light rating). There are some exceptions: Peter Jackson's " was mentioned (refer to Pasolini's masterwork Uccellacci Uccellini ), still retained the same original narrow-minded rating forty years later.
As a side note, VM18-rated movies (nobody under 18 allowed) cannot be broadcast on public televisions unless they are censored T-rated or VM14-rated versions. We have some exceptions again, though: Mondo Cane , Mondo Cane 2 and La Grande Bouffe were aired with a simple Red Light rating, even if they were originally rated VM18 (and they still are, in the case of La Grande Bouffe ).
The same ratings are used for La7 channel too, even if they are even less strict than those in Mediaset: virtually every R-rated movie goes under the Yellow Light rating (films with strong violence and horror content such as Event Horizon and Army Of Darkness were aired with that rating). Red Light is commonly used only for VM14-rated movies (or serials contain strong/extreme sexual and/or violence content, like Sex In The City )
The Classifications for Television Viewing is currently used in Malaysia . All television stations in the country (except on Satellite Television ) are permitted to show the ratings at the beginning of a show (news is exceptional). It is optional to show the rating after Commercial s. Newspapers published in Malaysia are also required to preview television ratings (Some newspapers classify all programs as unless stated). The ratings used are as follows:
- U - General viewing for all ages (similar to the United Kingdom)
- 18-SG - For viewers aged 18 and above with non-excessive violent scenes.
- 18-SX - For viewers aged 18 and above with non-excessive sex scenes.
- 18-PA - For viewers aged 18 and above with political/religious/counter-culture elements.
- 18-PL - For viewers aged 18 and above with a combination of two or more elements. (example: A program with excessive sex-scenes and excessive violence will be classified as 18-PL).
The Mexican TV ratings are similar to the Mexican Movie Ratings . The only difference is that there is no rating for the TV rating system. The ratings are as followed:
- : appropriate and designed for children under 7. No sex or nudity , violence, or language of any level is allowed.
- : appropriate for all ages with little to no sex and little to no violent content. Some examples include Rugrats .
- : Designed for ages 12 and up which may contain some sexual situations, mild violence, and mild language.
- : Designed for ages 15 and up. The content is a tad more explicit than the '''B''' rating. There are sexual innuendo and sexual situations, violence allowing some blood and gore, and coarse language.
- : designed to be viewed only by adults 18 or older and may contain strong, scary violence, strong language and/or explicit sexual material.
- : designed to be viewed only by "open minded" adults, as it most certainly contains strong, scary violence, strong language and/or explicit sexual material.
Reportedly, only one channel in Mexico explicitly shows the classification on each program, XEIMT-TV in Mexico City .
The Netherlands have a project called (ViewingGuide or WatchWiser) introduced in 2002 by the ''Dutch Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media'' (NICAM). Kijkwijzer advises parents through graphic Icon s about almost all TV Program s, Movie s and DVD s in the Netherlands. Recently their advice has begun expanding into Gaming and the Internet. When a movie is rated 12, this does not mean you are not allowed to see the movie under 12. It simply means that the parent should be aware that not all children under 12 might be able to cope with the content of the movie. It is up to the parent to decide if their child is ''mature'' enough to watch the movie or TV program. The icons are shown in TV guides, on movie posters, at the start of movies in theatre, and in the top left corner when a TV program starts.
What is special about these ratings is that there is no official written alternative for icons. Also short animated versions of the icons which even feature short audio samples are often used in commercials and the internet. A rating for 9 years and older is already in usage, but is not yet official.
The following icons are in use for age rating:
- All Ages (Alle leeftijden)
- Parental advisory for children under 6 (Let op met kinderen tot 6 jaar)
- Parental advisory for children under 12 (Let op met kinderen tot 12 jaar)
- Parental advisory for children under 16 (Let op met kinderen tot 16 jaar)
Moreover, additional icons show why a movie, television show, or game has been given a specific rating:
- Violence (Geweld)
- Scary (Angst)
- Sex (Seks)
- Discrimination (Discriminatie)
- Drug and Alcohol abuse (Drugs- en alcoholmisbruik)
- Bad Language (Grof taalgebruik)
Australia and New Zealand 's rating systems differ only slightly from other rating systems. New Zealand's are based on Australia's previous system which was used before 1995 .
By definition, an adult is anyone aged 14 or over.
('''General Programmes'''): These exclude material likely to harm children under 14 and can screen at any time. Programmes may not necessarily be designed for younger viewers, but must not contain material likely to cause them undue distress or discomfort. G-rated programmes can screen at any time. Examples of G rated programmes include The Simpsons , Spongebob Squarepants , Home And Away and Everybody Loves Raymond .
('''Parental Guidance Recommended'''): Programmes more suited to more mature viewers. These are not necessarily unsuitable for children, but viewer discretion is advised, and parents and guardians are encouraged to supervise younger viewers. Programmes rated PGR can screen between 9am - 4pm and between 7pm - 6am. Examples of PGR rated programmes include Family Guy , LOST , Shortland Street and Fear Factor .
('''Adults Only'''): AO programmes contain material of an adult nature handled in such a way that it is unsuitable for children. Such programmes are directed primarily at a mature audience and can screen between noon and 3pm on a school day (except during school and public holidays as designated by the , Ghost Whisperer , and Green Wing .
The ratings for television programs are available on all Peruvian Channels . The rating system used in Peru is listed below.
There is a slight variation in the television ratings of programs on broadcast on América Televisión , which is the only television chanel in Peru to have its own rating system.
In the Philippines , there are only two television ratings; and '''Parental Guidance'''. A static '''Parental Guidance''' digital on-screen graphic appears during the duration of the program if it was rated as such. Live news programs usually do not carry the graphic, with the exception of entertainment news programs. All programs shown on Philippine free-to-air television channels are reviewed by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board. The board may suspend or cancel programs, but not revoke broadcast franchises.
Until August 2005, Poland's television ratings system consisted of three icons:
- green circle with circle in center (for all ages)
- yellow circle with triangle in center (parental discretion advised)
- red circle with square in center (adults only)
The current Polish television rating system, instituted in August 2005, consists of five icons:
- green circle (for all ages): nothing objectionable; e.g. '' Teletubbies ''
- yellow triangle with number '7' in center (suitable for children over the age of 7): may contain mild bad language, bloodless violence; e.g. '' Chicken Run ''
- yellow triangle with number '12' in center (suitable for children over the age of 12): some bad language, some violence, some sexual content; i.e. '', '' Kiler '', '' The Nutty Professor '', '' 6teen ''
- yellow triangle with number '16' in center (suitable for children over the age of 16): bad language, considerable amount of violence, more sexual content; e.g. '' A Man Apart '', '' Mutant Aliens '', '' Elfen Lied ''
- red circle (adults only): excessive violence, explicit sexual content; e.g. '' Blue Velvet '', '' A Nightmare On Elm Street '', '' Ett Hål I Mitt Hjärta ''
Icons are seen continuously during movies and TV programs (except commercials). Informative programs, sports and commercials are exempt from classification.
The Portugal TV ratings are many times refused by the audience; the TV networks TVI & SIC are the only channels that set boundaries for the shows. This type of ratings was only posted in 2006.
Here are the ratings of the channel TVI of Portugal :
- (general audiences)
- (may not be suitable for children under 10)
- (may not be suitable for children under 12)
- (may not be suitable for children under 16)
The ratings of SIC are:
- - All.
- - Venda, maybe parental guidance.
- - Lease, maybe adults only.
Romanian rating system.
- : Recomandat acordul părinţilor (Recommended according to the parents)
- : Interzis copiilor sub 12 ani (Not recommended for children under 12 years of age)
- : Interzis minorilor sub 15 ani (Not recommended for children under 15 years of age)
- : Interzis minorilor sub 16 ani (Not recommended for children under 16 years of age)
- : Interzis minorilor sub 18 ani (Not recommended for children under 18 years of age)
South Africa n ratings are issued and certified by the Film and Publication Board, whilst the National Broadcasting Commission regulates the various films and programmes. All television stations, cinemas and distributors of DVD, video and computer games must display the following signage:
- - This is a program/film that does not contain any obscenity, and is suitable for family viewing. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for 30 seconds after each commercial break.
- - Children under the age of 12 may watch this program/film, but must be accompanied by an adult. This program contains an adult related theme, which might include very mild language, violence and sexual innuendo. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for 1 minute after each commercial break.
- - Children under the age of 13 are prohibited from watching this program/film. This program contains mild language, violence and sexual innuendo. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for 2 minutes after each commercial break.
- - Children under the age of 16 are prohibited from watching this program/film. It contains moderate violence, language, and some sexual situations. In the case of television, this programme may only be broadcast after 9pm - 4.30am. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for 5 minutes after each commercial break. A full screen warning must be issued before the start of the program. If the program is longer than an hour, a warning must be displayed every half an hour.
- - Children under the age of 18 are prohibited from watching this program/film. It contains extreme violence, language and/or graphic sexual content. In the case of television, this programme may only be broadcast from 10pm - 4.30am. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for the duration of the program. A full screen warning must be issued before the start of the program and after each commercial break.
(The rating does not refer to adult, child or animal pornography - as this is banned from television and cinema by the Film and Publication Board)
- - this is reserved for films of an extreme sexual nature ( Pornography ). films may only be distributed in the form of video and DVD in a controlled environment (eg. Adult Shops). No public viewing of this film may take place. films may not be broadcast on television and in cinemas. This has been breached twice by ETv, where the soft bordering hardcore Emanuelle was screened.
(The rating does not refer to child or animal pornography - as this is totally banned by the Film and Publication Board)
additional symbols:
- (Violence)
- (Nudity)
- (Sex)
- (Language)
The has been firstly introduced in the Kingdom Of Thailand on 1st December 2006. The System is a project of the Government Public Relations Department by the Office of National Broadcasting Commission and all 6 Thai TV stations to set up a procedure of TV program classification. The main 4 (and 3 sub) rating signs (Thai characters) are now shown on screen before and during the duration of the program. However, the stations have to follow the existing laws - do and don't - on broadcasting program. The ratings (translated into English) used are as follows:
- C - Children: made for children aged 2 - 12. (ด)
- P - Pre-school Children: made for children aged 2 - 6. (ก)
- G - General: for all ages. (ท)
- PG (น) - Parental Guidance: children and youth viewers should be advised by adults during viewing.
(A rate can be "PG" or specified by age of viewers as "PG13" (น๑๓) or "PG18" (น๑๘))
- S - Special: for viewers aged 18 and above only. (ฉ)
Radyo ve Televizyon Üst Kurulu RTUK introduced a television rating system, named "Akıllı İşaretler" (Smart Symbols) in 2005.
- General Viewing (Genel İzleyici)
- For 7 or up (7 Yaş ve Üzeri için)
- For 13 or up (13 Yaş ve Üzeri için)
- For 18 or up (18 Yaş ve Üzeri için)
These icons can be accompanied by any of the following subratings:
- Dangerous behaviour (Olumsuz Örnek Oluşturabilecek Davranışlar)
- Sexual Activity (Cinsellik)
- Horror/Violence (Korku ve Şiddet)
In the United Kingdom there is no general TV rating system as the television regulator, Ofcom , sets clear boundaries for what can be shown and when. The most obvious example of this is in the Watershed , the time after which more explicit content (15, 18) can be shown. On main broadcast television channels this is 9pm, however on certain satellite channels it is 8pm.
In addition to Ofcom's requirements, some channels have also adopted their own systems:
- The BBC and ITV give verbal announcements before programmes as to the nature of the programme about to be shown. ITV and the BBC show these comparatively rarely compared to Channel 4.
- In addition to the above, Channel 4 occasionally has extra announcements before a programme resumes from a commercial break, if the content in a certain segment is viewed to be likely to cause offence. (i.e. if the programme crosses the watershed). Examples include the usage of the word " Cunt " on '' Big Brother '' and a standard "don't try this at home" disclaimer before and during '' Jackass ''. ''See also Red Triangle ''.
- Five has its own rating system, roughly based on a mixture of the BBFC and MPAA movie classification systems, used for films only:
- --- Universal rating - The film is appropriate for all ages and may even be suitable for family viewing.
- --- Guidance rating - The film may contain some mild violence, language or brief nudity. Some scenes may be unsuitable for young children.
- --- Caution rating - The film may contain strong violence, swearing, sex or disturbing scenes. For adults only.
The system was first proposed on December 19 , 1996 by the Congress , the television industry and the FCC , and went into effect by January 1, 1997 on most major Broadcast and Cable Network s in response to public concerns of increasingly explicit sexual content, graphic violence and strong profanity in television programs. It was established as a voluntary-participation system, with ratings to be determined by the individually-participating broadcast and cable networks. It was specifically designed to be used with the V-chip , which was mandated to be built into all television sets manufactured since 2000, but the guidelines themselves have no legal force. The icons themselves were designed by TV Guide's then Design Director, Ken Feisel, with the specific intent of being legible as small icons in the magazine's listings.
The system does not apply to news or sports programming, or commercials. An will be shown during the entirety of some '''TV-Y''' shows.
The first 3 ratings are used for kids' shows.
- (Suitable for all ages.)
- :The themes and content in programs issued this rating are specifically aimed at a young audience, mainly those ages 2-6. These programs are not expected to frighten or upset young children. Examples of programs issued this rating include '' The Huggabug Club '', '' Rugrats '', ''Poopster Shep'', '' Go Baby '', '' The New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh '', '' Thomas And Friends '', and one of the episodes of DonutBoy, and many other childrens series are issued this rating. Many programs broadcast on Toon Disney are given the Y instead of the Y7 rating for unknown reasons.
- (Unsuitable for very young children)
- :These shows may be inapropriate for children under 7 without the guidance of a parant and is more for children who have acquired the developmental skills needed to distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality. These shows may contain comedic violence, fantasy violence (FV), crude or suggestive humor, or may contain scenes that may frighten more impressionable children. It may contain non-cursing language("dang" "Oh My God" and "Oh Snap" and sometimes "sucks") in shows like '' Ed, Edd N Eddy '' and '' Fairly OddParents '').Examples of programs issued this rating include '' Class Of 3000 '', '' Aladdin , '' Ren And Stimpy '' (excluding the "Adult Party Cartoon" episodes), '' Time Warp Trio '', '' Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends '','' Spongebob Squarepants '' and '' The Adventures Of Jimmy Neutron '' are issued this rating.
- (may not be suitable for young children under 7-contains fantasy violence)
- :Programs issued this rating contain fantasy violence that may be more intense than other programs in the same category. '', '' Dragon Ball Z '' (the original dub), and some episodes of '' Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo ''and Nickelodeon 's Danny Phantom .
- (general audience)
- :Programs issued this rating are deemed appropriate for general audiences, however content in these programs are not always specifically intended towards children. Examples of programs issued this rating include '' The Price Is Right '', religious programming, documentaries, '' Dexter's Laboratory '' and '' Full House ''. Many programs on the Disney Channel use the G rating instead of the Y7 rating as the Disney Channel aims toward a family audience. TV-G may have non-cursing language narrowed down to "Oh My God", "darn", and "Crap" in programs such as '' Full House '' (Season 1 mostly), '' Doug '', '' Growing Pains ''(Mostly Seasons 1, 5-7), '' The Suite Life '', '' Boy Meets World '' (Mostly Seasons 1-4), '' Step By Step '', and other ABC Sitcoms .
- (Unsuitable for young children)
- :This rating signifies that the program is unsuitable for children under the age of 10 without the guidance of a parent. Some game shows and most reality shows are rated TV-PG, including '' Deal Or No Deal '', '' The Power Of 10 '', '' 1 Vs. 100 and '' American Idol '', mainly for their suggestive dialog. '' The Simpsons '', '' Naruto '', '' Dragon Ball Z '' (the uncut dub) and '' Seinfeld '' maintain a TV-PG rating in every episode. A growing number of programs on Cartoon Network also carry this rating. Also some unamericanized anime get this rating such as '' Princess Tutu '' and '' Kodocha ''. Many prime time family shows carry this rating like The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air (some episodes), Boy Meets World (some episodes), Mama's Family , Growing Pains (some episodes) and Family Matters . Most of the Court programs such as Judge Judy may be rated TV-PG for their suggestive dialog or coarse language. Some feature films originally rated PG-13 or R are edited for network or basic cable and are rated TV-PG. Some shows may skip over from TV-PG to TV-14 between episodes, including '' House '', '' Ugly Betty '', '' America's Got Talent '','' Friends '', '' Eureka 7 '' and '' Without A Trace ''. Some Fox reality/documentary shows switch between TV-PG and TV-14 such as '' Cops '' and '' America's Most Wanted ''. The rating may be accompanied by one or more of the following subratings:
- :--- for moderate violence
- :--- for mild sexual situations
- :--- for mild coarse language
- :--- for suggestive dialogue (mature themes)
- (Suitable for older children)
- :Programs issued the TV-14 rating are unsuitable for children under the age of 14 without the guidance of a parant. This rating may be accompanied by any of the following subratings:
- :--- for intense violence
- :--- for moderate sexual situations
- :--- for coarse language
- :--- for highly suggestive dialogue
- :Many programs that air after 9:00 pm are rated TV-14 with some exceptions, including '''' and '' Blood+ ''.
- Often award ceremonies (such as the Academy Awards ) and concerts will be rated TV-14.
- (intended for mature audiences; formerly TV-M until 1998)
- :This program is not intended for and may not be suitable for children under the age of 17(which is the last year of childhood). The program may contain extreme graphic violence, strong profanity, overt explicit sexual dialogue, nudity and/or strong sexual content. '' South Park '' frequently carries a TV-MA rating, with the syndicated episodes receiving a TV-14 rating, as well as original programming on HBO and Showtime and some of the shows on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim such as '' Moral Orel '', '' Metalocalypse '', and '' Blood+ ''. The film '' Schindler's List '' was the first network TV program to display this rating whereas the pilot episode of the CBS police drama '' Brooklyn South '' was the first network TV show to display the rating.
::This rating may be accompanied by any of the following subratings:
- for extreme graphic violence
- for explicit sexual situations
- for strong coarse language
- The sub-rating is not used for TV-MA. When TV-MA was still "TV-M" the sub-rating was actually used.
The implications of these ratings, particularly the TV-MA rating, vary greatly depending on the situation. For example, '''', Kevin Smith titles and other programs) appear to have no restrictions on language. This largely depends on the wishes of the shows' sponsors. Cartoon Network 's '' Adult Swim '' programming block often uses a similarly "tame" TV-MA rating, most likely because Cartoon Network is still largely considered a children's network. Their TV-MA programs generally have strong animated violence and slightly stronger language than TV-14 programs, but are not nearly as strong in impact as many other TV-MA programs, such as those on HBO and Showtime .
For the first 15 seconds of every rated program lasting a half-hour or less, a large rating icon appears in the upper-left hand corner of the TV screen. For every rated program running an hour or longer, a rating appears in the upper-left hand corner of the TV screen at the beginning of each half hour.
Starting in the summer of 2005 , many networks will now display the icons after every commercial break. ABC was one of the first television networks to display the program's rating after every commercial break in addition to at the beginning of the program.
Many networks have also introduced their own styling to the icons:
- ABC 's ratings icons do not use the regular Helvetica font, instead going with a Bank Gothic typeface, with black type on a white background, and are larger than the voluntary specifications. However, normal Helvetica ratings icons are shown on the network's HDTV feed and in promos.
- CBS and The CW only show the icon at the start of the program, and use the original smaller icons (excluding Friday Night SmackDown! , which is rated by Its Production Company ).
- Fox networks ratings icons are colored blue with white type, use a clockwise transition animation, and are larger than the voluntary specifications, appearing at the start of any live action program and, as of April 9, 2007, after every commercial break (the complete 15 seconds of the icon is shown as close to the half-hour as possible during an at least hour-long program; 5 seconds of the icon, without the clockwise transition, is shown after every other commercial break). Black and white icons are retained for animated programs on the network and the 4Kids TV weekend children's block. The clockwise animation is in use with these as well, with 15 seconds of rating at the top of the 1st and 3rd segments, and (as of March 24, 2007) 5 seconds of rating at the top of the 2nd and 4th segments. In the late 1990s, when the ratings system was first introduced, 4Kids TV predecessor Fox Kids aired brief notices before a particular show containing the rating and informing the viewer that it's there "so you can have Fox Kids family fun!". However, Fox's related cable networks, FX , Fox Reality , Fox Movie Channel and National Geographic Channel , do not use the clockwise blue ratings, instead opting to use a ratings icon with white text on black, which at the start of a show will take up 1/12th of the screen, as per specifications used by the cable industry. After each commercial break it is shown at the original smaller size (excluding Fox Movie Channel, which does not show commercials). During The Family Channel 's stint as Fox Family , it used the black icons.
- NBC 's ratings icons are translucent (except at the top of each hour or the start of a program, when they are completely opaque), and have the yellow feather in the NBC Peacock logo "click" the rating onto the screen like a Mouse Cursor clicking an icon to go with that network's current image branding. NBC, Telemundo , and their related cable networks (except USA Network and Sci Fi Channel , which were acquired by the network in the 2004 NBC Universal merger) did not use the D-L-S-V subratings until 2005. [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/july-dec97/ratings_7-10a.html .
- PBS ' ratings icons vary by each program's producers, though usually the default icons are used, with black Helvetica type on a white background. PBS and the network's Digital Cable networks/ Digital Broadcast Subchannels also opted out of the D-L-S-V subratings until 2005.
- Syndicated Programming often will show ratings icons drastically different from the original icons, in a different font (such as Tahoma ), with a translucent or no background, letters with Drop Shadow ing, or which match up with the title card or Closing Credits font for the program. This owes to the fact that the individual programs' production companies, not the broadcasting stations, apply the ratings.
- Both NBC and MyNetworkTV show the icon within the video area instead of the normal placement on a 4:3 scale whenever letterboxed programs are aired.
- Turner Classic Movies uses the television ratings system to rate films not covered by the MPAA Film Ratings System , which went into effect for films released after October 1968 . As the network or the film's distributor rates the film on the TV ratings system instead of the MPAA's, some conflicts occur between the two ratings systems, such as a film that might rate a MPAA ''G'' earning a ''TV-PG'', and some cases of a MPAA ''PG''-like movie earning a ''TV-14'' or ''TV-MA'' rating on TCM. This was a result in the changes of the level of content in the rating system. Most G-rated movies back in the late 60s and early 70s have content equivalent to PG and PG-13 nower days. Most PG movies rated PG in the 70s have at least PG-13 level content. Sometimes a PG movie in the 70s may have R-like content. Some MPAA rated films may also have a separate TV rating from TCM to clarify content further within the D-L-S-V subratings. MPAA and TV ratings on TCM are presented before the program, in a separate segment, in a similar manner used by most premium movie channels.
- The cable network TBS airs the ratings icons after each commercial break, with a larger version of the icon at the top of the program (sometimes to conceal a rating previously applied by a different network). The rating icons are black lettering on a translucent white background. TNT , CourtTV , Cartoon Network / Adult Swim and Boomerang do this as well. Lifetime previously did this, but is not owned by Turner like the networks mentioned before.
- Disney Channel and Toon Disney have gray ratings icons. From 1997 to 2005, the icons were very small, with a thick Century Gothic-like font inside. From 2005 to the present, the icons are larger, more transparent, and have a font not unlike the Arial font. ABC Family and SOAPnet , as of a few years ago, also began using the Disney icons (SOAPnet has always used all-black versions of the ratings icons).
- The various Scripps Networks ( Food Network , HGTV , DIY Network , Fine Living , and Great American Country ) use translucent ratings icons with a fully transparent background; with very limited exceptions, programs on all five networks are rated TV-G.
- The ESPN networks do not usually show ratings icons for their original dramatic and comedic programming.
- Most of the networks owned by Viacom use an icon with a Verdana-esque font, but only at the start of a program. BET does not, as they are an autonomous division of MTV Networks with their own operations.
- E! uses a transparent gray icon with text in Arial Black font. BET does something similar (but with the regular Arial font), however BET is owned by Viacom. BET J uses the traditional icons.
- Ring sports like Professional Wrestling are rated, despite the exception for sports programming, and World Wrestling Entertainment rates their own programs. Mixed Martial Arts shows on networks like Fox Sports Net , Spike TV , MyNetworkTV and Versus from the UFC and International Fight League also contain content ratings.
Locally-produced programming may not show any kind of icon or indicator for a rating, and it is extremely rare for Public Access cable channels to have any ratings. News and sports channels (such as CNN , CNBC , Fox News Channel and ESPN ), and broadcast news and sports shows have never used the ratings system, as live and taped sports and news events are excluded from having to be rated, though the commitments by the networks to edit out any live profanity and obscenity does remain.
The ratings can be detected by a television set device known as a is embedded in the signal). Shows that simply display a rating on the screen but do not contain this embedded code will not interact with the V-chip and not be prevented from showing regardless of the displayed rating.
Some famous exceptions of live programming that got past the censors were Bono 's "This is really, really fucking brilliant!" on the Golden Globe Award s; Nicole Richie 's "Have you ever tried to clean cow shit out of a Prada purse? It's not so fucking simple!" on the Billboard Music Award s; an NFL On FOX camera prominently displaying a t-shirt that a woman is wearing that says "FUCK DA EAGLES"; and one of the most infamous scenes in the history of American television, Janet Jackson 's Exposed Breast On The Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show .
In addition to the TV Parental Guidelines, there is a content advisory system which existed before the implementation of the TV Parental Guidelines. This content system was proposed in the United States in 1994 by the cable television industry and went into effect by early 1995 on most major pay cable networks (such as HBO , Showtime , etc.) to identify if a program has explicit sexual content, graphic violence and strong profanity. Pay-per-view services began using the system in 1998.
Adult pay networks like Playboy TV and Spice Network s do not use this system instead generally describing content in their films and series as containing "nudity, people having sex and language."
The system consists of a code depicting the content described alongside the code. This system is accompanied by one of the following subratings:
- : for programs containing intense violence
- : for programs containing mild dramatic or comedic violence
- : for programs containing extreme depictions of violence
- : for programs containing highly suggestive dialogue
- : for programs containing coarse language
- : for programs containing intense foul language
- : for programs containing scenes of nudity usually lasting two minutes or less
- : for programs containing scenes of full-frontal nudity shown for long durations
- : for programs that contain a few or several scenes featuring sometimes graphic sexual acts
- : for programs that contain intense depiction of rape
The later two subratings are more commonly used for R and TV-MA rated programs. However, some PG-13 and TV-14 rated programs use the SSC and RP subratings. The RP subrating is the least used subrating in the system, while it is typical for the SSC subrating to be used on adult programming.
Pay-cable networks display the icons during the ratings bumpers, after the rating and special features (Stereo, Closed Captioning , etc.) bumper card.
- HBO and Cinemax 's content advisory icons do not use the regular Sans Serif font, instead going with a bold Trebuchet typeface, with white type on a black circle background, and are smaller than the voluntary specifications.
- Showtime, The Movie Channel , Sundance Channel and Flix use the larger default icons.
- Starz and Encore 's content advisory icons are colored blue with white Arial Bold type, in a square background, and are slightly smaller than the voluntary specifications.
- Pay-per-view networks' content advisory icons are circular, and are colored black with white outline with white Arial Bold type.
- Despite formerly having been a premium channel, Disney Channel never used the content advisory subratings and also does not currently use the subratings that accompany the TV Parental Guidelines. This is likely because of the Channel's family-friendly nature as non-Original programming is usually edited for adult content.
During the opening sequence of '''', when government officers show Homer a top-secret video explaining a trillion-dollar-bill, at the beginning of the video, where the ratings on TV appear (in the top left corner of the screen) is a TV-PG. The content was suitable for TV-G untill one person said "This is a kick in the knickers(balls)"
During the '' Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law '' episode ''The Devlin Made Me Do It'', the complexity of the rating system is parodied as Birdman aggressively questions a small child on how easy it is to follow: "Bobby, isn't television safe for the good kids? The ones who go to bed on time and don't file frivolous lawsuits. The kids who understand our simple voluntary TV rating system. TV-Y! TV-Y7! TV-Y7-FV for fantasy violence! How much clearer can we make it, Bobby?"
- Several television networks in Europe as well as all of Korean television have voluntarily started using similar ratings systems of their own, often using an age designation such as , '''14''', or '''16'''.
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