FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1986
5
TV CENSORSHIP STANDARDS TO CONTINUE
**** *
THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS DECIDED THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO RELAXATION OF THE PRESENT APPROACH TO CENSORSHIP REGARDING TELEVISION PROGRAMMES.
THE DECISION WAS TAKEN AFTER THE COUNCIL CONSIDERED THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD (BRD) ON PROGRAMME QUALITY AND ADVERTISING.
ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (FRIDAY), A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ENDORSED THE BRB'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE PREVAILING CENSORSHIP STANDARDS SHOULD CONTINUE AS THEY FAIRLY REFLECTED THOSE OF THE COMMUNITY.
IT ALSO TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE SITUATION WHERE 95 PER CENT OF HOMES HAD TELEVISION SETS AND MANY CHILDREN WATCHED TELEVISION AT NIGHT.
HOWEVER, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT AGREED WITH THE BOARD THAT STRICTER CONTROLS SHOULD BE ENFORCED OVER THE CONTENT OF STATION PROMOTIONS BROADCAST DURING FAMILY VIEWING HOURS, ESPECIALLY DURING CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMES.
OTHER MAJOR DECISIONS ON ADVERTISING AND PROGRAMME QUALITY INCLUDED:
* THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF NON-PROGRAMME MATERIAL WITHIN A
CLOCK HOUR SHOULD BE LIMITED TO 10 MINUTES OF ADVERTISEMENTS, TWO MINUTES OF STATION-PROGRAMME PROMOTION AND UP TO ONE MINUTE, BUT NOT LESS THAN 30 SECONDS, OF UNPAID ANNOUNCEMENTS
IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST (API'S).
*
THE MAXIMUM DURATION OF EACH BREAK WITHIN PROGRAMMES AND INTERVAL BETWEEN PROGRAMMES SHOULD BE 3.5 MINUTES AND FIVE MINUTES RESPECTIVELY WITH NO INTERNAL STIPULATION AS TO HOW THE TIME SHOULD BE USED FOR NON-PROGRAMME MATERIAL.
WHERE A BREAK AND INTERVAL EXCEEDS 3.5 MINUTES AND FIVE MINUTES RESPECTIVELY, THE DURATION OF THE BREAK AND INTERVAL SHOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THE PROGRAMME HOURS BASED ON WHICH TOTAL ADVERTISING TIME PERMITTED IN ONE CLOCK HOUR IS CALCULATED.
* THE MINIMUM DURATION OF EACH PROGRAMME SEGMENT BETWEEN
BREAKS SHOULD BE 10 MINUTES.
THE PROPOSED