Controversy over TV violence
- The Kriegel report to the Minister of Culture on films prohibited during prime time programming has angered the film world
Cinema professionals have expressed their indignation over the recommendations made in Blandine Kriegel’s “Violence and television” report, which was delivered to the French Minister of Culture and Communications, Jean-Jacques Aillagon.
Minister Aillangon personally requested the philosopher’s survey, which gathers the opinions of a commission of 36 representatives of the media, universities, and medical and legal institutions. The report emphasizes that the broadcasting of violent programs has significant impact on the behavior of young people, and France, compared to other European nations, is procrastinating in establishing a pertinent regulatory plan. The report also proposes to eliminate a system of “exceptions” which authorizes the broadcasting of films prohibited to children under 12 at about 8:50 PM four times per year. Furthermore, the film commission would be required to follower stricter guidelines when establishing ratings, which would eventually be extended to include relative videos, DVD’s, video games, and Internet. These recommendations prompted hostile reactions among French cinema professionals, who declared the report to be an attack on the freedom of artistic expression.
The SRF (French Director’s Association), the SPI (Association of Independent Producers), and the ARP (Association of Authors, Directors, and Producers) protested on the grounds that prime time television broadcasting is an essential bargaining factor in negotiating financing by film producers.
Some directors, when queried concerning the delicate issue of censorship, affirmed that the Kriegel report gives a false portrayal of violence on French television and offered comparisons with British classification systems. For example, Patrice Leconte’s Ridicule, Jean-Paul Rappeneau’s The Horseman on the roof, and Etienne Chatiliez’s Happyness is in the Field are prohibited to children under 15 in Great Britain and to children under 12 in France. If stricter guidelines applied – that is to say, a prohibition to children under 16 – the film would have no chance of being broadcast on television before 10:30 PM.
This amounts to another point to be considered by the Culture Minister Aillangon, who has requested an in-depth debate of the issue.
(Translated from French)
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