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STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING MP
MEETING WITH TV NETWORK CHIEFS
This afternoon met the heads of the three comnmercial television networks, Bob Campbell
of thc 7 Network, Gary Rice of 10 and David Leckie of 9, and Tony Branigan thc general
manager of thc Federation of Australian Commercial Television Stations to discuss the
question of violence in films shwn on television.'
I put to them my concern that the present system of broadcasting violent, AO. rated films
at 8.30 exposed too many children to unsuitable material. Since I raised tllis issu e in the,
Parliament several weeks ago, [ hfa-ve received hundreds of letters from equally conccrned
parents who are worried about the impact of violent films on their children.
The networks informed me they will incorporate the following changes to their selfregulatory
code:
mandatory standardised indications of the levels of violence, sex and coarse language
in AO films to be broadcast before films in both audio and visual form
a clear visual indication at the start of each segmient of the film's classification
6 restrict the carly evening promotion of AO films.
broadcast regular announcements explaining the meaning of classification symbols
and content descriptions, increasing the frequency of such announcements during
school holidays.
0 urge newspapers and magazines to display and explain the symbols and content
descriptions when listing television programs.
The networks have also agreed to run a high visibility press advertising campaign during
December to support their on-air announcements.
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1 welcomed these improvements to present program descriptions but argued they did not
go far enoughi to meet thc concerns of parents and others about the content of programs
broadcast while substantial numbers of children are watching. As a result of our
discussions two further steps were agreed. Thie networks have undcrtakcnt to work
towards agreement on a common classificatl n systpi. po that television films are rated by
the same system that applies to movies screened in cinemas and to videos.
As previously announced, I Intend to propose to the Council of Australian Governments
mecting in Perth on Dcember 7 that the States and Territories agree to split the prescnt
classification into two, segregating the more violent anid sexually explicit films and
videos. If we can secure agreement for this, Australia will then enjoy a more rational and
sensible uniform classification system.
In addition, in response to my concerns about children being exposed to violent films, the
networks have undertaken to prepare a detailed briefing for me on thc economic and other
consequences of changing the times at which movies are presently screcned. I look
forward to asscssing this advice early next week and taking account of, among other
things, the proposed creation of a " softcr" classification through splitting the present
category.
CANBERRA November, 1992