Ours is an increasingly regulated country. As the general social consensus weakens, many people now look to laws and entitlements to govern and control the population.
The extension of the points system is an example. Many more ‘offences’ have been added. A lot of them are vague and barely enforceable. Some aren’t amenable to reasonable interpretation.
But it’s not just motoring. It’s across the board. But what should concern all of us is how, unobtrusively and often unquestioned, change comes about. And the result isn’t always what we wanted.
It’s with that in mind that I draw your attention to the second phase of consultation in the development of a Code of Programme Standards by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI).
This Code is provided for under Section 19 of the Broadcasting Act 2001. The intention is ‘to promote responsible broadcasting where entertainment, education and access to information are enhanced and offence and harm reduced’. When it is finished the Code will apply to all radio and television broadcasters licensed in the State.
Phase two, as I understand it, will be a consultation on rules and principles pertaining to certain types of programme material. These include violence, sexual conduct, coarse language, portrayal of persons and groups in society, and the portrayal of drugs, alcohol and solvent abuse.
The BCI has produced a consultation document in which the specific rules and principles are proposed. The Commission is now seeking views as to their appropriateness. It also asks if additional rules and principles should be included, as part of this process.
The outcomes of phase one of the consultation are the backdrop to the second phase.
These outcomes bear some examination. For example, according to the report, the top four sources of offence on radio and TV were violence, violence against children, sex and swearing. The survey indicates that for the Irish adult population, portrayals of gay and lesbian sex is perceived as less acceptable than portrayals of heterosexual sex, while explicit portrayals of sex are less acceptable than implied portrayals. Sensitivity to swearing is higher for older people (ah bless!) and for those who identify themselves as conservative and regular church goers.
Arising from these, various principles are proposed. For example, under the heading General Community Standards, we read that ‘Programme material must not offend against commonly held standards of what is acceptable in contemporary Irish society’. As regards portraying sexual conduct, ‘Nudity during programme material must only be broadcast when justified by context’.
Among the strictures on coarse language, ‘The use of names considered sacred or holy by believers or their use as expletives in programming can cause offence. Broadcasters shall take a responsible approach to their inclusion during programming and their inclusion must be justifiable’. (Arrah, Jeyses, lads!) And as for drink, ‘Programme material must not encourage the over-consumption or abuse of alcohol’.
In fairness, many of the proposed guidelines are reasonable, dull and worthy and you couldn’t be bothered disagreeing. But some, and the ones just cited are among them, could be contested and could be interpreted over time in a way that wouldn’t necessarily be what people want – the unintended consequence effect that dogs so much Irish policymaking.
Well, the BCI wants to hear your views. Ads were placed on the newspapers seeking views from the general public.
According to Michael O’Keeffe, Chief Executive of the BCI, ‘The rules and principles as proposed in this second phase of consultation provide an opportunity for broadcasters, interest groups and members of the public to assist the Commission in developing a Code of Programme Standards which reflects societal mores and acknowledges an increasing diversity of tastes and interests.’
Before you dismiss the idea of emailing a response, consider the case of Podge and Rodge. How might they fare under the code? Read the proposed regulations above once again and then see how a Liveline fascist might use the code to cause trouble.
Since the process has been launched, it’s important that the outcomes are good ones and that the Code doesn’t become a crank’s charter. And you can make your opinion known.
You can download a copy of the consultation document on-line at www.bci.ie. Responses can be e-mailed to [email protected]. Copies of the consultation document are also available from the Commission’s offices. But move quickly. The deadline for receipt of responses is Tuesday 16th May 2006.
Get to it!