BSA Pānui - Viewing tools - a matter of time

Kia ora koutou

This weekend marks the beginning of daylight saving and, for most students, the start of school holidays. It is also my first week back after six months on parental leave. It’s great to be back and engaging with everything that is going on – and there is certainly a lot going on! I look forward to reconnecting with you all in the coming weeks and months.

As families across the country juggle childcare arrangements, ponder travel plans, and prepare to put our clocks forward, it seems the perfect time for a reminder about the tools audiences can use to ensure safe TV viewing for the whānau. This is particularly pertinent now as the switch to ‘holiday mode’ can bring a significant shift in kids’ sleeping and viewing patterns, increasing the risk they could stray into unsuitable content. A little knowledge of the following tools can go a long way towards preventing this.

Classifications and audience advisories

Broadcasters display classifications (G, PG, M, 16, 18) to signpost the viewer age a programme is suitable for, based on the type of content.

Different content types are spelled out via audience advisories (L – language may offend; S – sexual content may offend; V – contains violence; C – content may offend). The classifications and advisories relevant to a given broadcast are shown in programme listings.

Broadcasters must ensure programmes are appropriately classified and should use an audience advisory if the programme is likely to disturb, distress or offend a significant number of viewers or be outside audience expectations.

News, current affairs, sports and live content is not subject to classification. However, broadcasters must be mindful of children’s interests and other broadcasting standards and include audience advisories (ie a warning) where appropriate.

Timebands

A timeband is the time of day programmes of a certain classification can be screened on free-to-air TV. Knowing what can play at what time can help parents and caregivers to protect children from inappropriate content:

• G and PG programmes can screen at any time.
• M programmes can screen when school-aged kids are at school (from 9am to 3pm on weekdays, except during school and public holidays) and after 7.30pm until 5am.
• Programmes classified 16 can screen after 8.30pm until 5am.
• Programmes classified 18 can screen after 9.30pm until 5am.

The difference in timebands for M programmes, according to whether it’s a school or non-school day, reflects when tamariki might be watching. It’s worth noting this with the adjusted timebands for school holidays now in place.

With the evenings lighter now and holiday bedtime routines potentially more relaxed, it’s important to remember that the start of evening screening times for M, 16 and 18 programmes remain the same – even if the kids are up later.

As for pay TV, because viewers make a special choice to subscribe there are no timebands. Programmes on pay TV can screen at any time, with the expectation that broadcasters use classifications and advisories and promote parental controls.

Parental locks

Parental locks enable viewers to password block programmes or (on SKY) specific channels. You can password-block adult content by blocking PG, AO, M, 16 and 18 classified programmes. Some helpful tips are available on how to use these tools on your TV:

• Viewers who watch through Freeview on their TV or set-top box can see hereopen_in_new.
• Those with a SKY decoder can go to SKY hereopen_in_new.

More information on all of these tools, including a handy viewer guide in multiple languages, is available on the BSA websiteopen_in_new.

If you see a chance to share this information with others who may find it useful, please feel free to do so.

Ngā mihi mahana
Stacey Wood
Chief Executive