Stricter Regulations
A long time has passed since the row sparked off in 2002 by the Kriegel report about violence on TV, and now the French government has just published its bill on the reform of the classification of films and the conditions and restrictions for TV programming. The changes will come into force in March 2004 and they will strengthen the power given to people representing families. These new regulations are causing concern for professionals in the film world.
In his condemnation of violence on the small screen, the philosopher Blandine Kriegel was criticised by professionals from the cinema sector, who protested at the attacks aimed at cinematographic production. They gave assurances that the control system was working very well. There was no reply to these protests, and now the new bill will change the system to create a more rigid set of criteria in selecting films. The number of members sitting on the commission overseeing the classification of films is being increased to 9 (who will still be appointed by the ministry of culture) and there well be new delegates representing families and doctors, taking over from those who represented the education and youth sectors.
Decisions to completely prohibit a film or to ban it for certain age groups (under 18s, 16s and 12s) will be taken by a simple majority vote and no longer a quality majority vote as before. And the real new thing in this bill is that a film can be classified as for over 18s only even if the film contains "non stimulating sex scenes and particularly violent sex scenes".
(Translated from French)
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