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Thursday, November 8, 1973

PUBLIC VIEWS SOUGHT ON FILM CENSORSHIP

The Government is seeking views from the public on the acceptable

standard of nude and violent films.

To this effect, the censors have, in conjunction with a professional

firm of survey research exponents, started an original series of discussion

groups amongst members of the public to try and establish if there is a

consensus of opinion on film censorship.

These opinions may subsequently give the censors guidance in inter-

preting the Film Censorship Codes in the future.

Disclosing this at the luncheon meeting of Y's Men's Club today,

the Commissioner for Television and Films, Mr. Nigel Watt, said the discussion

groups comprised both men and women from various age groups.

Referring to the discussions, he said they aimed at finding out

what the majority of the people thought about their public entertainment

and what they felt about censorship in general.

He said: "These and many other questions will be dealt with during

these professionally-conducted and impartial discussions."

It is hoped that some useful patterns on some difficult points,

such as whether more critical standards should be applied or not to films

being seen by the family in the home through television medium, may emerge

when the results are analysed.

From the results of these exchanges a questionaire will be produced

and on some of the broader issues a sample public opinion poll will be

taken.

/Mr. Watt