Television content rating systems are systems for evaluating the content and reporting the suitability of television programmes for minors. Many countries have their own television rating system and countries' rating processes vary by local priorities. Programmes are rated by the organization that manages the system, the broadcaster, or the content producers.
A rating is usually set for each individual episode of a television series. The rating can change per episode, network, rerun, and country. As such, programme ratings are usually not meaningful unless when and where the rating is used is mentioned.
Comparison table
A comparison of current television content rating systems, showing age on the horizontal axis. Note however that the specific criteria used in assigning a classification can vary widely from one country to another. Thus a color code or age range cannot be directly compared from one country to another.
Key:
White – No restrictions: Suitable for all ages / Aimed at young audiences / Exempt / Not rated / No applicable rating.
Yellow – Advisory: Parental guidance is suggested for designated age range.
Purple – Strong advisory: Not recommended for a younger audience but not restricted.
Red – Restricted: Parental accompaniment required for younger audiences.
Black – Prohibitive: Exclusively for older audience / Restricted to a specific audience / Purchase age-restricted / Banned.
M: May air only from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm (except ABC Me) and from 7:30 pm (8:30 pm for ABC Me) to 5:00 am MA 15+: May air only from 8:30 pm (9:00 pm for ABC Me) to 5:00 am
General broadcast: 16: May air only from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am 18: May air only from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am
0
6
12
16
18
X
Pay-per-view (FSF rated) 0 / 6 / 12: May air any time 12: May air only from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am 16: May air only from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am 18: May air only from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am
8: May air only 30 minutes after the kid-friendly zone 12: May air only from 9:30 pm to 6:00 am or from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am on weekends and school holidays 16: May air only from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am 18: May air only from 01:00 am to 6:00 am
B: Cannot air between 6:00 a.m. and 3:59 p.m. B-15: May air only from 7:00 pm to 5:59 am C: May air only from 9:00 pm to 5:59 am D: May air only from midnight to 5:00 am
-10, −12: Cannot be broadcast between 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm (may be broadcast between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm) on weekdays; cannot be broadcast between 2:00 pm and 12:00 am on weekends and holidays -16: May air only from 10:30 pm to 12:00 am
12: May air only from 8:00 pm to 5:00 am 15: May air only from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am 18: May air only from 12:00 am to 5:00 am 18+ and 18++: Not allowed on free-to-air channels
PG 13:May air only from 8:30 pm to 5:00 am (digital TV only) May air only from 11:30 am to 5:00 am (analog TV only) PG 18: May air only from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am Adults: May air only from midnight to 5:00 am
Programmes deemed to specifically meet the educational needs and interests of children of school age who are 14 years or younger. C-rated content must be broadcast between 7a.m. and 8:30a.m. or between 4p.m. and 8:30p.m on weekdays or 7a.m. and 8:30p.m. on weekends and school holidays.[1]
P
Preschoolers
Programmes deemed to specifically meet the educational needs and interests of preschool children who have not yet started school. P-rated content must be broadcast between 7am and 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.[1]
Standard ratings
Classifications are intended to be equivalent to the Australian Classification Board (ACB) classifications of the same name. They're usually presented with the same shape and sometimes colour as their ACB counterparts.[2]
Symbol
Abbreviation
Name
Description
E
Exempt
Exempt from classification; Only very specific types of material can be exempt from classification and the material cannot contain anything that exceeds the constraints of the PG classification. These include news & current affairs, sports broadcasting, education videos and certain documentaries.
G
General
General exhibition, suitable for all ages but not necessarily intended for children and may be more suitable for older children or adults. Content is VERY MILD in impact. G content may air at any time of day.
PG
Parental Guidance Recommended
Parental guidance is recommended for people under 15 years. Content is MILD in impact; Elements in these programmes may require parental supervision for young children. PG content may air at any time of the day.
M
Mature
Recommended for viewing by persons aged 15 years or over. Content is MODERATE in impact; These programmes may require a mature perspective and are deemed not suitable for all children. M content may only be broadcast between 7:30p.m. and 6:00a.m. on any day, and additionally between 12:00p.m. and 3:00p.m. on school days.
MA 15+
Mature Accompanied
Not suitable for people under 15. Content is STRONG in impact. MA 15+ programming may only be broadcast between 8:30p.m. and 6:00a.m. on any given day. Consumer advice is mandatory.
AV 15+
Mature Accompanied (Adult Violence) No longer used
Not suitable for people under 15. The category deal with content or contain depictions that require a more mature perspective. Violence is STRONG in impact; this classification was the same as MA 15+, except the "AV" stands for "Adult Violence". AV 15+ content was broadcast between 9:30p.m. and 5:00a.m. on any day. Consumer advice is mandatory.
The AV 15+ classification was abolished after 30 November 2015.[3] Strong impact violence is now incorporated into the MA 15+ classification.
Adult "Pay Per View" only
Symbol
Abbreviation
Name
Description
R 18+
Restricted R 18+
Not for anyone under 18; this is limited to Adult "Pay Per View" VC 196 and 197, access to these programmes is locked by a personal password. Content may include prolonged scenes of intense violence, sexual situations, coarse language and strong drug use.
X 18+
Restricted X 18+
Contains material that is pornographic in nature. No one under 18 may legally rent, buy, possess, exhibit, hire, or view these programmes, on television, DVD, or otherwise. The exhibition or sale of these programmes to people under the age of 18 years is a criminal offence carrying a maximum fine of $5,500.
R 18+ and X 18+ restricted classifications are not permitted for free-to-air broadcast in Australia. Many R 18+ movies on DVD/Blu-ray are often edited on Free TV/cable networks, to secure an MA 15+ classification or lower. Some movies that were classified R 18+ on DVD have since been aired on Australian TV with an MA 15+ classification.
Consumer advice
Consumer advice is compulsory for all MA 15+ and one-off programmes, as well as very short series classified M or higher (such as feature films, miniseries and documentaries).[4] When a programme carries consumer advice, appropriate abbreviations are displayed along with the classification symbol after each commercial break. In general, these abbreviations are as follows:[5]
For violence, coarse language and sex scenes, the intensity and/or frequency is mentioned in front of the consumer advice. These include: "mild", "stylised", "some", "frequent" or "strong". Example: "strong sex scenes".
A television content rating system in Brazil was implemented following a consultation in 2006.[6] Since then, the television networks themselves rate the shows, while the indicative rating (Portuguese: Classificação Indicativa) judges the content to guarantee that the rating is appropriate for that specific show.[7] On broadcast networks, where the system is mandatory, the ratings are also translated in Brazilian Sign Language, and may also carry content descriptors. The icons must be shown at the start of each block of the show, and their respective promos.[8]
All rating is advisory unlike films. The Brazilian content rating system utilizes age-specific classifications (with the exception of L-rated programming), and generally follow the film ratings. However, unlike with films, television programmes can be rated by the broadcaster with the need to formally submit them for a rating, although the Department of Justice, Ratings, Titles and Qualification (DEJUS) reserves the right to revise the rating.[8] Ratings assigned by the broadcaster mirror those assigned by DEJUS, but are preceded by the letter "A".[9]
Symbols
Abbreviations
Portuguese Name
English Translation
L
Livre para todos os públicos
Content is suitable for all public.
AL
10
Não recomendado para menores de 10 anos
Not suitable for viewers under 10 years of age.
A10
12
Não recomendado para menores de 12 anos
Not suitable for viewers under 12 years of age.
A12
14
Não recomendado para menores de 14 anos
Not suitable for viewers under 14 years of age.
A14
16
Não recomendado para menores de 16 anos
Not suitable for viewers under 16 years of age
A16
18
Não recomendado para menores de 18 anos
Not suitable for viewers under 18 years of age.
A18
Canada
The Canadian TV Classification System was created in late 1997[citation needed] for English-language programmes to use, which lined up with those of the American v-chip, both matching that system and allowing television manufacturers to use the same backbone firmware for both systems. The upper-right corner of symbols are shaped like the corner of a maple leaf, as is used in the national flag, and are rendered in black and white. The icons are intended to be shown once an hour lasting 15 seconds, although in the case of longer programmes that do not start on the hour, some broadcasters show the rating at the start and at the top of each subsequent clock hour, while others show the rating at the start and again precisely one hour later. However, there are some networks like Global that only display the television rating at the beginning of the show. The icons are displayed in the upper-left corner and the size is mandated to be a minimum of 52 scan lines or pixels tall, and must also fully cover an American ratings icon if burned-in or broadcast live by an American broadcaster.[10][11]
Additionally, should a programme contain content potentially unsuitable for some viewers, such as violence, coarse language, or nudity, members of the self-regulating Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (which does not include the CBC, although it still uses such warnings) are required to air a disclaimer at the beginning of the programme and at the end of each commercial break, advising viewer discretion (such disclaimers are only required for the first hour if airing after 9:00 p.m.). This disclaimer is technically required even if the final commercial break comes immediately before the closing credits, and some (but not all) channels in fact observe this.[12]
Notably, the television rating given may depend on the level of cable and satellite, or if the programme is broadcast over-the-air. Also, television ratings are generally considered more restrictive than movie ratings.
English-language ratings
Canadian Television Ratings
The Canadian rating system for English-language broadcasters (as well as third-language broadcasters, which broadcast in a language other than English or French) is as follows:[13][10]
Exempt – Programming that is exempt from ratings (such as news and sports programming) will not display an on-screen rating at all.
C – Programming is intended for younger children under the age of 8 years. No offensive language or sexual content of any level allowed. Might contain occasional comedic, unrealistic depictions of violence.
C8 – Intended for children ages 8+. Infrequent/mild violence and fantasy horror is allowed. No profanity is allowed, but occasional "socially offensive and discriminatory" language is allowed if in the context of the story. No sexual content of any level allowed.
G – Intended for general audiences. Programming suitable for the entire family with minimal and infrequent violence. No profanity is allowed, but offensive slang is permitted. No sexual content.
PG – Intended for general audiences, but may not be suitable for children under the age of 8. Moderate violence and infrequent/mild profanity is allowed. May contain brief nudity and sexual references if important to the context of the story. Some content may not be suitable for children under the age of 8 and parental supervision is recommended for children aged 8–13.
14+ – Programming intended for viewers ages 14 and older. May contain intense violence and strong/frequent profanity. Might contain nudity and depictions of sexual activity as long as they are within the context of a story. Parents are strongly cautioned to exercise discretion in permitting viewing by pre-teens and early teens without parent/guardian supervision.
18+ – Programming intended for viewers ages 18 and older. May contain explicit violence, graphic language, and explicit portrayals of sexual activity. Programming with this rating cannot air before the watershed (9:00p.m. to 5:00a.m.).
G: Général (general) – appropriate for all ages and must contain little or no violence and little to no sexual content.
8+ ans – appropriate for children 8 and up may contain with little violence, language, and little to no sexual situations;
13+ ans – suitable for children 13 and up and may contain with moderate violence, language, and some sexual situations;
16+ ans – recommended for children over the age of 16 and may contain with strong violence, strong language, and strong sexual content;
18+ ans – recommended to be viewed by adults and may contain extreme violence and graphic sexual content. It is mostly used for 18+ movies and pornography.
An E rating (no rating will appear on screen) is given to exempt programming, in the same classes used for English-Canadian programming above.
Colombia
As of 2011, programs in Colombia are regulated by the National Television Commission, and are divided into the following categories:[15]
Children - Programs that have been designed and produced to meet the entertainment, education or training needs of children between 0 and 12 years old, whose narrative and language respond to the profile of that audience. They must be broadcast between 07:00 and 21:30. These programs must be suitable to be watched by the child audience, without the company of adults.
Teenager - Programs that have been designed and produced to meet the entertainment, education or training needs of children between 12 and 18 years old, whose narrative and language respond to the profile of that audience. They must be broadcast between 07:00 and 21:30. These programs must be suitable to be watched by the adolescent audience, without the company of adults.
Family - Programs that have been designed and carried out to meet the needs of entertainment, education or training of the family. They must be broadcast between 05:00 and 22:00. These programs should be suitable for viewing by the whole family and may require the company of adults.
Adult - Programs that have been designed and carried out to meet the entertainment, education or training needs of those over eighteen (18) years of age. They must be broadcast between 22:00 and 05:00. These programmes should be suitable for viewing by the adult population. The presence of children and adolescents shall be subject to the co-responsibility of the parents or adults responsible for the aforementioned population.
Programmes containing Pornography or apologies for violence are not allowed to be broadcast at all in Colombia, even in the adult fringes.
Denmark
The Danish ratings administered by the Media Council for Children and Young People
Since 1 September 2020, the Medierådet for Børn og Unge (Media Council for Children and Young People) classifies all programmes and films for television broadcast and video on demand release, using the same rating also used for theatrically released films and home media releases. On television, the age limit must be informed orally before the programme starts or continues. The clear rating should be shown during the entire transmission time or a minimum first five minutes, and must be available in programme listings. Films and series on VOD services must have age ratings and mention the content in them that explains why the content was given its rating. The location of the rating is up to the individual provider as long as it is visible to the consumer before choosing a film or program. The new television classification system only applies to domestic television and VOD services such as DR, TV 2, TV3, Kanal 4 and Viaplay, and as such do not apply to foreign services such as Netflix, HBO Max or Disney+. The requirements apply to all programming outside of news & current affairs, music, sports, live telecasts, instructional & leisure programmes, programming of nonprofit, political or religious nature, preface of programmes and teaching & research programmes.[16]
Article 65 of the Communications Law of Ecuador presents the following classification:[17]
A:Apto para todo público (Suitable for all age groups). It can be transmitted at any time, especially in the "FAMILIAR" (FAMILY), from 6:00 to 18:00.
B:Apto para todo público, con vigilancia de una persona adulta (Suitable for all age groups, with supervision of an adult). Under 12 needs an adult. It can be transmitted at any time, especially in "RESPONSABILIDAD COMPARTIDA" (SHARED RESPONSIBILITY), from 18:00 to 22:00; but not during FAMILIAR.
C:Apto solo para personas adultas (Suitable only for adults). It can be transmitted only during the hours of "ADULTOS" (ADULT), from 22:00 to 6:00.
The classification to which belongs each programme will be arranged by the Consejo de Regulación y Desarrollo de la Información y Comunicación (Regulatory and Development Council of Information and Communication) depending on the parameters which are considered relevant.
Finland
The ratings system for television programmes shown on Finnish television channels consists of the following:[18]
S (orT for Swedish-language programming) – allowed at all times; suitable for all audiences
7 – allowed at all times, not recommended for persons under 7;
12 – allowed at all times, not recommended for persons under 12;
16 – not allowed air before 9:00p.m., not recommended for persons under 16;
18 – not allowed air before 11:00p.m., not recommended for persons under 18.
France
A content rating system in French is regulated by the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA).[19] Each rating icon is translucent and, as of December 2012, is shown for the whole duration of the show.[20]
Categories of the French television classification system
If no rating appears, it is most likely appropriate for all ages.
Déconseillé aux moins de 10 ans (English: not recommended for children under 10) – not allowed in children's television series;
Déconseillé aux moins de 12 ans (English: not recommended for children under 12) – not allowed air before 10:00p.m. (some channels and programmes are subject to exception);
Déconseillé aux moins de 16 ans (English: not recommended for children under 16) – not allowed air before 10:30p.m. (some channels and programmes are subject to exception);
Déconseillé aux moins de 18 ans (English: not recommended for persons under 18) – allowed only between midnight and 5 a.m.
There initially was no ratings system for French television. In March 1961, following the broadcast of a film where a female nude was briefly visible, the "white square" was introduced. A white square, replaced by a white rectangle in 1964, was displayed in the corner of the screen. An off-screen voice warned at the beginning of the programme that it was unsuitable for all audiences. This system continued until 1996 when the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel replaced it with a system of five pictograms, indicating the suitability of the program. This system was replaced by the current system on 18 November 2002.[21]
Germany
Categories of the FSF television classification system
In Germany, every broadcaster has to show a disclaimer displaying the sentence Die nachfolgende Sendung ist für Zuschauer unter 16/18 Jahren nicht geeignet before transmission if the programme contains potentially offensive content.[22] This roughly translates to The following programme is not suitable for viewers under 16/18 years of age. The Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle Fernsehen[de] (FSF) checks many shows in private television.[23]
0 – For all ages, can be broadcast any time.
6 – For ages 6 and up, can be broadcast any time.
12 – For ages 12 and up, split between content that can be broadcast any time, and content that can only be broadcast from 20:00.
16 – For ages 16 and up, can only be broadcast between 22:00 and 06:00.
18 – For ages 18 and up, can only be broadcast between 23:00 and 06:00.
X – No broadcast.
Ghana
In Ghana, TV series and selected TV programmes are classified by the Film Classification Committee:[24][25]
Categories of the Ghana classification system
U – Universal for all categories of persons.
PG – Viewers below twelve are to watch under Parental Guidance.
12+ – For persons of twelve years and above (generally suitable for children aged under 12).
15+ – For persons of fifteen years and above (aimed at a teenage audience).
18+ – For persons of eighteen years and above only (specifically for adults).
A new content rating system in Greece was introduced on 30 September 2019.[26] The system is now associated with the age of viewers and has new visual symbols (replacing rhombus, circle, triangle, square and cross symbols), however, there are no mature-accompanied ratings compared to the previous system. The ratings are compulsory and are displayed and verbally announced at the beginning of each broadcast. These provisions are enforced by the Greek National Council for Radio and Television (ESR).
Categories of the Greek television classification system
K – suitable for all ages
8 – suitable for ages 8 and up (allowed only 30 minutes after the kid-friendly zone)
12 – suitable for ages 12 and up (allowed only between 9:30p.m. and 6:00a.m., or between 10:00p.m. and 6:00a.m. during Fridays, Saturdays and school holidays)
16 – suitable for ages 16 and up (allowed only between 11:00p.m. and 6:00a.m.)
18 – suitable for ages 18 and up (allowed only between 1:00a.m. and 6:00a.m.)
Also, programmes suitable for ages 12 and up will be accompanied by a special word marker identifying their content, which is divided into the following four categories:
ΒΙΑ (English: VIOLENCE): The programme contains scenes of violence.
ΣΕΞ (English: SEX): The programme contains sex scenes.
ΧΡΗΣΗ ΟΥΣΙΩΝ (English: USE OF SUBSTANCES): The programme contains scenes of drug use and other addictive substances.
ΑΚΑΤΑΛΛΗΛΗ ΦΡΑΣΕΟΛΟΓΙΑ (English: INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE): The programme contains inappropriate language.
Hong Kong
The Hong Kong television rating system is since by generic code of television programmes standard of the Broadcasting Ordinance (Cap.562) on 11 December 1995.[27] The current ratings are:
If no rating appears, it is for general audiences.
PG (parental guidance recommended) – programmes are unsuitable for children, parental guidance is recommended; programmes that are classified as 'PG' should not be broadcast between 4:00p.m. and 8:30p.m. every day, as this is a watershed devised for family viewing.
M (mature) – programmes are recommended for adult viewers above the age of 18, only allowed to be shown between 11:00p.m. and 6:00a.m. Before 24 September 2020, the programmes were only allowed to be shown between 11:30p.m. and 6:00a.m.
SU – Semua Umur (All Ages) – suitable for all ages over the age of 2 years;
P – Prasekolah (Preschool) – suitable for preschool children aged 2 through 6 (not yet in use by any TV channel);
A – Anak-anak (Children) – suitable for children from ages 7 through 12;
R – Remaja (Teenagers) – suitable for teens from ages 13 through 17;
D – Dewasa (Adult)– suitable for viewers over 18 and older. Programmes with this rating may only be aired between 22:00 local time and 03:00 local time the next day.
There is unofficially also a BO (Bimbingan Orangtua, Parental Guidance) subrating often used accompanied with the above ratings (P-BO, A-BO, or R-BO). The KPI Broadcasting Code does not regulate the BO rating; instead it requires broadcasters to show a "viewer discretion advised" card before the beginning of a P, A, or R-rated program; however many broadcasters does not show this card.
In addition, all films and advertisements broadcast in Indonesia must be rated by the Film Censorship Agency (LSF) and use the ratings provided by the LSF to rate those films and advertisements broadcast.[30] Although the Broadcasting Code only requires films and advertisements to be rated by the LSF prior to broadcast, many broadcasters opted to have all prerecorded programs (not just films and advertisements) to be rated by the LSF and use the ratings given by the LSF on rating those programs.
AA – aimed at children (can be broadcast anytime);
A – for persons of all ages (can be broadcast anytime);
B – for persons over 12 years of age (allowed only between 16:00 and 05:59);
B-15 – for persons over 15 years of age (allowed only between 19:00 and 05:59);
C – for adults (i. e. persons over 18 years of age) (allowed only between 21:00 and 05:59);
D – exclusively for adults (allowed only between midnight and 05:00);[32]
Morocco
The classification system of television programmes in Morocco is established by the HACA. There are 4 categories. Before the airing of the program, an off-screen voice warned at the beginning of the programme that it was unsuitable for all audiences.[33][34]
Category
Symbol
Name
Broadcast restriction
1
No symbol
All audiences
No restriction
2
Not recommended for under 10
Prohibited broadcast from 12:00 to 14:00 and between 17h and 19h from Monday to Friday, until 14h on Saturday and Sunday
3
Not recommended for under 12
Prohibited broadcast from 12:00 to 14:00 and between 17h and 19h from Monday to Friday, until 14h on Saturday and Sunday
4
Not recommended for under 16
No broadcast daily before 22:30
Netherlands
The Kijkwijzer ratings and descriptors used in the Netherlands since January 2020
The television rating system in the Netherlands was created in 2001 by the Dutch Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media (NICAM) and is known as Kijkwijzer (ViewingGuide or WatchWiser). The same rating systems are used for both television programmes and films, and serve partly as guidelines (Programmes with the classification 12, 14 and 16 years may only be broadcast from 8pm and with the classification 18 years from midnight. Cinemas and theaters in the country cannot provide films with the classification 16 years to people under the age of 16). They are the same as Dutch film ratings.[35]
The following age ratings apply:
AL – All Ages (Alle leeftijden)
6 – Watch out with children under 6 (Let op met kinderen tot 6 jaar)
9 – Watch out with children under 9 (Let op met kinderen tot 9 jaar)
12 – Watch out with children under 12 (Let op met kinderen tot 12 jaar)
14 – Watch out with children under 14 (Let op met kinderen tot 14 jaar)
16 – Watch out with children under 16 (Let op met kinderen tot 16 jaar)
18 – Watch out with children under 18 (Let op met kinderen tot 18 jaar)
On 1 May 2020, New Zealand realigned its television content rating system to a common system for free-to-air television, subscription television and on-demand services:[36][37]
G: Approved for general viewing (this was unchanged from the previous rating system).
PG: Parental Guidance recommended for younger viewers (previously known as PGR, Parental Guidance Recommended).
M: Suitable for mature audiences 16 years and over.
16: People under 16 years should not view.
18: People under 18 years should not view.
The last three ratings replaced the former AO (Adults Only) classification.
On free-to-air television, programmes classified M can be broadcast between 9.00am and 3.00pm on weekdays (school term time only, as designated by the Ministry of Education) and from 7.30pm until 5.00am on a daily basis. Programmes classified 16 can only be broadcast after the 8.30pm watershed, while programmes classified 18 can only be broadcast after 9.30pm.
On pay television, where content filtering is not available, programmes classified 18 can only be broadcast between 8.00pm and 6.00am on a daily basis and from 9.00am until 3.00pm on weekdays (school term time only). If content filtering is available, programmes classified 18 can be broadcast at any time. Explicit adult sex programmes classified 18 may screen only on premium channels.
The following descriptor codes (audience advisories) may be added for programmes classified PG or higher:
C: Content may offend
L: Language may offend
V: Contains violence
S: Sexual content may offend
North Macedonia
North Macedonia uses five symbols for each programming.[38] They are as follows:
● – Programme can be watched for each age
● – Programmes not recommended for children below the age of 8 (parental supervision recommended under this age).
■ – Programmes not recommended for children below the age of 12 (parental supervision necessary under this age). Only broadcast between 20:00 to 5:00.
▲ – Programmes not recommended for children below the age of 16 (parental supervision necessary under this age). Only broadcast between 22:00 to 5:00.
X – Programmes not suitable for audiences under 18 years of age. Only broadcast between 0:00 to 5:00.
The symbols are put in the lower-left or lower right corner on screen.
Norway
Norwegian rating system
In Norway Television broadcasters are obliged to classify their programmes in the following age categories: A (all ages), 6 years, 9 years, 12 years, 15 years or 18 years. The classification must be based on the guidelines made by The Norwegian Media Authority. Programmes in the different age categories must be transmitted according to the following time schedule during the day:
A, 6, 9 – allowed at all times
12 – only allowed during the period 19.00 – 05.30
15, 18 – only allowed during the period 21.00 – 05.30
Television broadcasters shall specify the age limit acoustically before the programme starts or clearly mark the programme with an age limit throughout its duration. Television broadcasters shall also specify the age limit in programme schedules and electronic programme guides. Content that is judged to be harmful to minors are a no-no from broadcast altogether. [39]
In the Philippines, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, commonly known as MTRCB, implements and regulates local television content rating systems. In 1979,[citation needed] it only had implemented two television ratings: "General Viewership" (GV) later renamed (General Patronage/GP) in 1995 and "Parental Guidance" (PG), in the mid-1990s up until from now on, some advisories are simply written on the upper left side or at the lower right side of the television screen.
On 6 October 2011, in order to encourage parents to supervise and be responsible with their children in watching television, the MTRCB revamped its rating system, implementing a three-tiered system:[40][41][42]
May contain scenes or other content that are unsuitable for children without the guidance of a parent.[44]
SPG
Strong Parental Guidance
Striktong Patnubay at Gabay
Contains mature themes or moderate to intense violence, which may be deemed unfit for children to watch without strong and vigilant parental supervision.[45]
The new ratings system is similar to the old one, but the look and the ratings themselves were completely revamped. All of these were only implemented on Free to-Air Television stations. The new system consists of a new full-screen advisory of the programme's rating which is played before each programme, whatever the rating of such programme is, except in the case of programmes with SPG rating, wherein the rating must be aired twice (before the start of the programme and after each commercial break. e.g. in the middle part of the programme). A rating logo then appears at the bottom right of the screen during a programme if it was rated as such. Sometimes, when annotations are to be put and it takes the place of the logo, then it has to be put on the upper left side of the screen, opposite the logo of the TV station.[46][47]
On 9 February 2012, the SPG rating was implemented,[48] which utilizes at least one of the following content descriptors:
T for tema (themes);
L for lengguwahe (language);
K for karahasan (violence); {V is also used for programmes in English or a foreign language}
S for sekswal (sex);
H for horror; and
D for droga (drugs);
The SPG rating was first broadcast on the film Cinco which was aired in ABS-CBN, where it had its old advisory.
Poland
Before 2000, Poland did not have a uniform classification system for television programmes. Some stations, however, applied their own systems. TVP showed a card with the text "Adult only" or "Film for adult audiences only".[49]Canal+ used their set-top box key colors (green, yellow, red) to indicate "General Audiences",[50] "Most Likely for Adults"[51] and "For Adults".[52] Until 27 February 2000, TVN marked adult movies with a pulsating red circle.[53] On 1 March 2000, the "Friendly Media" agreement with the KRRiT and the broadcasters was reached to introduce a uniform system of classification. Eight television broadcasters – TVP, Polsat, TVN, Nasza TV, Canal+, Wizja TV, Polish Cable Television and TV Niepokalanów – had signed the agreement.
The current Polish television rating system was introduced on 15 August 2005 and consists of five icons which need to be broadcast for the entire duration of the program.[54] On 28 August 2011, their appearance was changed to the following:[55]
Symbol
Name
Broadcast restriction
Possible contents
No age limit
None
Positive or neutral view of the world, little to no violence, non-sexual love, and no sexual content.
For minors from age 7
None
As above; may additionally contain some mild language, bloodless violence, and a more negative view of the world.
For minors from age 12
None
May contain some foul language, some violence, and some sexual content.
For minors from age 16
Only 8 PM–6 AM
Deviant social behaviour, world filled with violence and sexuality, simplified picture of adulthood, display of physical force, especially in controversial social context (against or by parents, teachers, etc.), immoral behaviour without ethic dilemma, putting the blame on the victim, excessive concentration on material possessions.
Permitted from age of 18 only
Only 11 PM–6 AM
One-sided display of the joys of adult life without showing responsibilities (e.g. work), social justification of violent behaviour, excessive vulgarity, use of racial slurs and social stereotypes, explicit sexual content, praise of aggression or vulgarity, access to these programmes is locked by a personal password.
Since May 2022, this category is split further into four sub-categories: P – Przemoc (Violence), N – Narkotyki (Drugs), S – Seks (Sex) and W – Wulgaryzm (Vulgarity).
Portugal
Portuguese television rating icons
For a long time, the only existing regulation on Portuguese television was that programmes with potentially shocking or harmful content could air only between 10:30pm and 6am and with a red circular marker on the top-right corner of the screen indicating it was for audiences aged 16 and over.
In 2006, all free-to-air networks decided to complement this rule with a shared, more detailed rating system for TV shows:
Todos (suitable for all)
10, Acompanhamento Parental (for spectators aged 10 or over; parental guidance required for children under 10)
12, Acompanhamento Parental (for spectators aged 12 or over; parental guidance required for children under 12)
16 (for spectators aged 16 or over; not suitable for children)
These logos must be shown during 10 seconds in the beginning of any programme and after every break. If a programme is rated 16, it can only be broadcast between 10:30pm and 6am.[56] However, most cable channels in Portugal use the Spanish classification system.
Romania
The current Romanian rating symbols were adopted in September 2002, and are as follows:[57] On April 3rd, 2006, the rating "16" was abolished and was replaced with "15":[58]
Unrated – programmes can be viewed by any age.
AP – programmes are recommended for children under 12 years of age with parental guidance.
12 – programmes not for children below the age of 12 years, May only air after 20.00 P. M..
15 – programmes not for teens and children below the age of 15 years, May only air between 10 P. M. to 5 A. M..
18 – programmes not for young people (i. e. those under 18 years of age), May only air before 6.00 A. M..
Russia
Russian rating system
The rating system for programmes and films shown on Russian television:[59]
0+ (Suitable for all ages)
6+ (May not be suitable for very young children)
12+ (Intended for viewers over the age of 12)
16+ (Intended for viewers over the age of 16)
18+ (Unsuitable for children, only for adults)
These logos are shown in the beginning of the programme and after every break.
Singapore
Singapore has adopted the use of TV Ratings from 21 October 2011. They consist of PG and PG13 ratings for Free-to-Air TV and NC16 and M18 ratings in addition to the PG and PG13 ratings for Pay TV channels. For Free-to-Air TV, the shows rated PG may be aired anytime while PG13 should air between 10pm to 6am. For Pay TV, PG13 rated programmes can be shown anytime. Before the rated programme starts the TV channels will show a notification. From now on, only StarHub TV's and Singtel TV's self-packaged non-regional Pay TV channels (e.g. StarHub TV's E City and Sensasi and Singtel TV's FashionTV HD and FashionTV HD on Demand, both of which features modeling nudity in certain programmes) are enabled to carry NC16 and M18 rated content. FashionTV is also Singapore's first official M18 rated channel. M18 rated programmes can only be telecast from 10pm onwards to 6am on Pay TV. Regional channels like Fox Life, Fox Movies and HBO Asia are unable to carry Infocomm Media Development Authority's film ratings as they are targeted at the same region (a certain group of Asia territories), which results in programmes being subjected to external censorship of a much harsher nature outside Singapore territorial control. Only Video on Demand (VOD) Pay TV services are allowed to carry R21 content currently. G-rated programmes are not required to show a notification for any channel.
Slovakia
The rating labels and content descriptors used in Slovakia
Slovakian government accepted a law in 2001 (updated in 2007), in which television stations are required to display one of the following icons during all the programme and in promos:[60][61][62]
7 – Content suitable for children over 7 years
12 – Content suitable for children over 12 years
15 – Content suitable for teens over 15 years, this programme may only be broadcast from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am[63]
18 – Content exclusively for adults, this programme may only be broadcast from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am[63]
Children's programming – Content created primarily for children up to 12 years
-7 – Educational content suitable for children up to 7 years
7+ – Educational content suitable for children over 7 years
12+ – Educational content suitable for children over 12 years
15+ – Educational content suitable for teens over 15 years, this programme may only be broadcast from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am[63]
For content suitable for all children, a green "U" icon is available, but broadcasters are not required to use it. Until 2007, all ratings went with faces: green smiley face – all viewers; orange sad face – suitable for 7, 12, 15 years and over; red very sad face – suitable for adults only. In 2024, rating were once again updated, this time at beginning of each programme and in promos, content descriptions were added to the programming:[64][65]
Violence
Discrimination
Fear/Horror
Drugs
Sex
Bad Language
Nudity
Slovenia
Slovenian government accepted a law in 2004,[66] in which television stations are required to play a voiceover and age icon warning, which has to be at least 10 seconds long before programmes, inappropriate for some audiences begin. Additionally, one of the following icons (a white rhombus with the age number) has to be displayed for the duration of the programme:[67]
VS (vodstvo staršev) – Parental guidance suggested for children under 12.
12 – Content suitable for children over the age of 12.
15 – Content suitable for teens over the age of 15.
18 – Content suitable for adults.
18+ – Not suitable for persons under 18, contains explicit sexual content, may only be broadcast on demand in television programmes and in on-demand audiovisual media services if those programmes are subject to mandatory restricted access for exclusively adults through an assigned PIN or equivalent protection system. Access must be locked by default, and the user must be able to set access to the program content, whereby only an adult who becomes acquainted with the purpose of technical protection and who is provided with detailed instructions on its use can be given permission to view (code, password).
18++ – Pornographic content/programmes which unlawfully depict violence. these programmes are subject to mandatory restricted access for the exclusive reaches of legal age through an assigned PIN or equivalent protection system. Access must be locked by default, and the user must be able to set access to the program content, whereby only an adult who becomes acquainted with the purpose of technical protection and who is provided with detailed instructions on its use can be given permission to view (code, password).
The original content rating icons (used before 2014)[68] were a red triangle with a stylised eye for content rated +15, while adult-only content used a red circle with a stylised eye.[69]
Sometimes, age rating symbols are accompanied by additional symbols, which are not shown on-screen and warn the audience of the type of inappropriate content:[70]
Violent content can be recognised by a white rhombus, containing two stick figures. One is laying on the floor while being beaten up by the other with a baseball bat.
Scary content contains a white rhombus with a stylised grey ghost figure.
Sexual content is recognised by a white rhombus, containing conjoined male and female sex symbols (circle with a cross, pointing downwards and a circle with an arrow, pointing upwards).
Programmes, containing dangerous scenes are equipped with a white rhombus, containing a crouching stick figure, trying to jump over a fence and an open fire.
If a programme includes discriminative scenes, a white rhombus, containing three stick figures, of which the middle one is white, while the other two are black is shown.
A white rhombus, containing a bottle, defaced with a stylised face warns of programming including drug and/or alcohol abuse scenes.
If there is usage of inappropriate or strong language in a show, a white rhombus, containing a speech bubble with a hash sign, ampersand ("and" sign) and an exclamation mark is seen.
Programmes, appropriate for all audiences do not have a rating.
The public broadcaster RTV Slovenija and most other broadcasters use three watersheds. 12+ rated content is shown between 8 PM and 5 AM, 15+ rated programmes are allowed between 10 PM and 5 AM, and adult-only content can be shown between midnight and 5 AM. Cartoons and children's programmes are screened until 7 PM.[71]
The South Korean television rating system has been in force since 2000, and it started with only four classifications which are All, 7, 13 and 19. In February 2001, all programmes except domestic dramas (which had been enforced since November 2002) has required to have a rating system. In 2007, rating 13 was replaced with 12 and the 15 ratings. Most programmes have to be rated, except the "exempt" rating below. Even if it qualifies for being exempt, a broadcaster may apply a rating.[73]
Example of Korean TV rating icons
All (모든 연령 시청가, Modeun yeollyeong sicheongga): This rating is for programming that is appropriate for all ages. Television programmes with this rating may contain some violence and/or some mild language. No adult content is allowed.
7 (7세 이상 시청가, Chilse isang sicheongga): This rating is for programming that is inappropriate for children under 7. Television programmes with this rating can contain mild violence, mild language and few romance.
12 (12세 이상 시청가, Sibise isang sicheongga): This rating is for programming that is inappropriate for children under 12. Television programmes with this rating may contain horror, some fantasy violence, some sexual content, little use of strong language, mild blood, and/or mild suggestive themes.
15 (15세 이상 시청가, Sibose isang sicheongga): This rating is for programming that is inappropriate for children under 15. TV shows with this rating may contain use of alcohol, more sexual content, mild violence or little strong violence, major blood or gore, and/or suggestive themes.
19 (19세 이상 시청가, Sipguse isang sicheongga): This rating is for programming that is inappropriate for children under 19. 19-rated programming is banned from airing during the hours of 7:00AM to 9:00AM, and 1:00PM to 10:00PM. (7:00 AM to 10:00 PM on Weekends and Public Holidays Only) Programmes that receive this rating will almost certainly have adult themes, sexual situations, strong language and disturbing scenes of violence.
Exempt (no icon or name): This rating is only for knowledge based game shows; lifestyle shows; documentary shows; news; current topic discussion shows; education/culture shows; sports that excludes MMA or other violent sports; and other programmes that the Korea Communications Standards Commission recognizes. Disclaimer or rating icons are not needed.
Rating icons may be transparent, and can be positioned either on the upper-left or upper-right corner of the screen. The icon has a size of at least 1/20 of the screen, and has black writing on a yellow circle with a white outline. These icons are shown for 30 seconds when the programme starts, and are shown again every 10 minutes, and when the programme resumes after commercial breaks. This does not apply to 19-rated programmes, where the icon must be visible throughout the entire programme. These regulations do not apply to the "All" rating, as it does not have an icon. A rating disclaimer is displayed on the start of the programme for five seconds stating "This programme is prohibited for children under the age of X, so parental accompaniment is required" (이 프로그램은 X세 미만의 어린이/청소년이 시청하기에 부적절하므로 보호자의 시청지도가 필요한 프로그램입니다, I peurogeuraemeun X-se mimanui eorini/cheongsonyeoni sicheonghagi-e bujeokjeolhameuro bohoja-ui sicheongjidoga piryohan peurogeuraemimnida.) for 7, 12, and 15 ratings. "All" and "19" ratings have a different disclaimer, which say "This programme is suitable for all ages" (이 프로그램은 모든 연령의 시청자가 시청할 수 있는 프로그램입니다, I peurogeuraemeun modeun yeollyeong-ui sicheongjaga sicheonghal su inneun peurogeuraemimnida.) and "This programme is prohibited for children under the age of 19" (이 프로그램은 19세 미만의 청소년이 시청하기에 부적절한 프로그램입니다, I peurogeuraemeun sipguse mimanui cheongsonyeoni sicheonghagi-e bujeokjeolhan peurogeuraemimnida.) respectively.
These ratings are used by all South Korean television broadcasters. Despite being intended for viewing outside of the country, KBS World also uses these ratings.
South Korean television ratings do not include content descriptors or advisories as they do in most other nations. The ratings are therefore used in a broader sense.
Thailand
In Thailand, a television rating system was introduced in 2006 alongside a movie rating system for movies. In September 2013, the television rating was revised.
Thai television rating symbols
Under the new guideline, the so-called 'Free TV' channels have to label their programmes and reschedule their shows to comply in the following categories:
Preschool (ป) – content suitable for preschool-aged children
Children (ด) – content suitable for children between 6–12 years old
General (ท) – content suitable for general audiences
PG 13 (น๑๓) – content suitable for people aged 13 and above, but can be watched by those who are under the recommended age if parental guidance is provided. Under this category, the content can be shown on television between 8:30p.m. and 5:00a.m.
PG 18 (น๑๘) – content suitable for people aged above 18 years old; those who are younger than 18 must be provided with parental guidance. The programmes can be shown on television between 10:00p.m. and 5:00a.m.
Adults (ฉ) – content unsuitable for children and youngsters aged 19 or under, and can be viewed on TV only between 12:00a.m. and 5:00a.m.
TV programmes in Thailand are already labeled by a certain system of categories, a practice criticised by rights group as nanny-state censorship and ridiculed by some Netizens for its confusing standards.
Turkey
Turkish television rating system and descriptor icons
The TV content rating system in Turkey was introduced by RTÜK in 2006. The ratings are the following:[74]
Genel İzleyici – General audience. Suitable for all ages. Shown (family symbol) at the beginning of the programme/movie and after every commercial break.
7+ – Suitable for ages 7 and over. Shown at the beginning of the programme/movie and after every commercial break.
13+ – Suitable for ages 13 and over. Shown for the whole duration of the programme/movie (may be translucent). May only be broadcast between 9:30p.m. and 5:00a.m.
18+ – Suitable for ages 18 and over. Shown for the whole duration of the programme/movie (may be translucent). May only be broadcast between 12:00a.m. and 5:00a.m.
Şiddet ve/veya Korku – Violence and/or horror
Cinsellik – Sexuality
Olumsuz Örnek Oluşturabilecek Davranışlar – Negative examples
News programmes, sports competitions, religious ceremonies and commercial communication broadcasts are exempt from the content rating system.
The TV parental guidelines were first proposed on December 19, 1996, as a voluntary-participation system—in which ratings are determined by participating broadcast and cable networks—by the United States Congress, the television industry and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and went into effect by January 1, 1997, on most major broadcast and cable networks in response to concerns from parents and advocacy groups[75] regarding increasingly explicit sexual content, graphic violence and strong profanity in American television programming, and was designed to be used in conjunction with the V-chip, which the U.S. government had mandated to be built into all television sets manufactured from 2000 onward (and the vast majority of cable/satellite set-top boxes). The system—which is used for, including but not limited to, most television series, specials, made-for-television films, and theatrically released films re-edited for broadcast or basic cable telecast—has since been applied to internet-based television services (such as Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix), digital video retailers (such as Apple's iTunes Store and Google Play) and digital media players (such as Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Roku). The guidelines are not assigned to sports or news programmes nor are they used during commercial advertisements, outside of promotional ads for network programmes.
The rating icons are required to be shown for 15 seconds at the start of each program, although since June 2005, many advertiser-supported network broadcasters and some syndication divisions also display the assigned rating for that particular programme after each commercial break; for networks and syndicators that continue to run the rating icon once per hour during a programme running longer than 60 minutes, the broadcaster may show the rating again during a segment/scene that starts closest to the top of the next clock hour. Premium channels—in addition to applying them to any offered original programming—may assign Parental Guideline ratings for theatrical or home video-released movies that either did not receive a Motion Picture Association-assigned rating or were aired as an "unrated" cut, which is an exempt.
TV-Y – All Children: This program is designed to be appropriate for all children, including children from ages 2-6.[76] Designed to be appropriate for children of all ages. The thematic elements portrayed in programmes with this rating are specifically designed for a very young audience.
TV-Y7 – Directed to Older Children: This program is designed for children age 7 and above.[76] Designed for children age 7 and older. The FCC states that it "may be more appropriate for children who have acquired the developmental skills needed to distinguish between make-believe and reality".[76] The thematic elements portrayed in programmes with this rating contain mild fantasy and comedic violence.
Programs where fantasy violence may be more intense or more combative.[76]
Programmes given the "FV" content descriptor exhibit more 'fantasy violence'[76] and are generally more intense or combative than other programmes rated TV-Y7.
TV-G – General Audience: Most parents will find this program suitable for all ages.[76] Programmes are generally suitable for all audiences, though they may not necessarily contain content of interest to children. The FCC states that "this rating does not signify a program designed specifically for children, [and] most parents may let younger children watch this program unattended".[77] The thematic elements portrayed in programmes with this rating contain little or no violence, mild language, and little or no sexual dialogue or situations.[77]
TV-PG – Parental Guidance Suggested: This program contains material that parents may find unsuitable for younger children.[76] Programmes may contain some material that parents or guardians may find inappropriate for younger children. Programmes assigned a TV-PG rating may include infrequent coarse language, some sexual content, some suggestive dialogue, or moderate violence.
TV-14 – Parents Strongly Cautioned: This program contains material that most parents would find unsuitable for children under 14 years of age.[76] Programmes contain material that parents or adult guardians may find unsuitable for children under the age of 14. The FCC warns that "parents are cautioned to exercise some care in monitoring this program and are cautioned against letting children under the age of 14 watch unattended".[76] Programmes with this rating contain intensely suggestive dialogue, strong coarse language, intense sexual situations or intense violence.[77]
TV-MA – Mature Audience Only: This program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17.[76] Contains content that may be unsuitable for children. This rating is rarely used by broadcast networks or local television stations, although it is commonly applied to television programmes featured on certain cable channels (basic and premium networks) and streaming networks for both mainstream and softcore programmes. Programmes with this rating may include crude indecent language, explicit sexual activity and graphic violence.[77]
Some thematic elements, according to the FCC, "may call for parental guidance and/or the program may contain one or more of the following" sub-ratings, designated with an alphabetic letter:[77]
FV – Fantasy violence (exclusive to TV-Y7-rated programmes)
Up to four content descriptors can be applied along with an applied rating, depending on the kind of suggestive content featured in a programme (with the exception of the "FV" sub-rating, due to its sole applicable use for children's programmes). As the rating increases pertaining to the age, the content matters generally get more intensive. The 'suggestive dialogue' descriptor is used for TV-PG and TV-14 rated programmes only, although certain networks may choose to rate their TV-MA programmes with the descriptor, while the DLSV sub-ratings are only used with the TV-PG and TV-14 ratings.
An additional content descriptor, "E/I", is applied to select TV-Y, TV-Y7, and TV-G programmes that are designed to meet the educational and informative needs of children aged 16 and under. A minimum of three hours of E/I-compliant programming must be broadcast per week by each television network; E/I programming must air between 6:00a.m. and 10:00p.m. to count toward this minimum.
Content advisory ratings (premium cable and pay-per-view)
The American pay television industry uses a separate, unrelated content advisory system—used in conjunction with the TV Parental Guidelines and the Motion Picture Association rating system—that first went into effect on March 1, 1994, on participating cable-originated premium channels and pay-per-view services (led by the system's charter services, HBO, Cinemax, Showtime and The Movie Channel). Inspired by similar content guidelines that had already been included in the services’ monthly programme guides, the voluntary-participation system provides guidance to pay-cable subscribers on the suitability of a program for certain audiences based on its content.[78][79] Thematic material is rated based on a ten-code system, designated with a two- or three-letter abbreviation and corresponding descriptor:
AC – Adult Content
AL – Adult Language
GL – Graphic Language (exclusive to R/TV-MA-rated programmes)
Up to five content descriptors can be applied, alongside the corresponding rating, to an individual programme to advise viewers of content that may be inappropriate for minors, depending on age group, or for adults with particular sensitivities to certain kinds of mature content.[80][81]
Venezuela
Television content in Venezuela is regulated by the Law on Social Responsibility on Radio and Television (Ley de Responsabilidad Social en Radio y Televisión), introduced in January 2003. Free-to-air television broadcasters are required to classify their programmes using the following ratings:[82]
Todo usuario: Suitable for all ages.
Supervisado: Parental supervision recommended for children and teens (only allowed between 7:00p.m. and 7:00a.m.).
Adulto: Suitable only for adults aged 18 or older (only allowed between 11:00p.m. and 5:00a.m.).
It is mandatory for all Venezuelan television stations to broadcast a short presentation, before the broadcast of any programmes, made by the same channel, where the type of programme (recreational, informational, mixed, etc.), type of production (domestic or national independent) elements include containing (such as language, health, sex and/or violence) and lastly the rating of the programme.
Vietnam
In Vietnam, VOD and Pay-TV content are subject to the same regulations used to classify films for the cinema.[83] The current ratings are:
P – Suitable for all ages.
K – Should not be viewed by persons under 13 years old unless they are with their parents or guardians.
T13 – Should not be viewed by persons under age 13.
T16 – Should not be viewed by persons under age 16.
T18 – Should not be viewed by persons under age 18.
The Motion Picture Associationfilm rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a motion picture's suitability for certain audiences based on its content. The system and the ratings applied to individual motion pictures are the responsibility of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), previously known as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) from 1945 to 2019. The MPA rating system is a voluntary scheme that is not enforced by law; films can be exhibited without a rating, although most theaters refuse to exhibit non-rated or NC-17 rated films. Non-members of the MPA may also submit films for rating. Other media, such as television programs, music and video games, are rated by other entities such as the TV Parental Guidelines, the RIAA and the ESRB, respectively.
A motion picture content rating system classifies films based on their suitability for audiences due to their treatment of issues such as sex, violence, or substance abuse, their use of profanity, or other matters typically deemed unsuitable for children or adolescents. Most countries have some form of rating system that issues determinations variously known as certifications, classifications, certificates, or ratings. Age recommendations, of either an advisory or restrictive capacity, are often applied in lieu of censorship; in some jurisdictions movie theaters may have a legal obligation to enforce restrictive ratings.
In broadcasting, the watershed is the time of day after which programming with content deemed suitable only for mature or adult audiences is permitted. In the same way that a geological watershed divides two drainage basins, a broadcasting watershed serves as a dividing line in a schedule between family-friendly content, and content deemed suitable only for a more mature audience, such as programs containing objectionable content; this can include graphic violence, strong language, and sexual content, or strong references to those themes, even if they are not shown explicitly. The transition to more adult material must not be unduly abrupt and the strongest material should appear later in the evening.
The Ontario Film Review Board is an inactive agency of the government of the Canadian province of Ontario that was formerly responsible for that province's motion picture rating system. Until 2015, the board reported to the Minister of Consumer Services but as of 1 October 2015, the board was overseen by the Ontario Film Authority. The board's activities were based on the Film Classification Act, 2005.
The Maritime Film Classification Board is a government organization responsible for reviewing films and granting film ratings in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
The TV Parental Guidelines are a television content rating system in the United States that was first proposed on December 19, 1996, by the United States Congress, the American television industry, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The guidelines went into effect by January 1, 1997, on most major broadcast and cable networks in response to public concerns about increasing amounts of mature content in television programs. It was established as a voluntary-participation system, with ratings to be determined by the individual participating broadcast and cable networks.
The British Columbia Film Classification Office, part of Consumer Protection BC in the Canadian province of British Columbia, is responsible for rating and censoring films under the province's Motion Picture Act. The BCFCO film ratings are also used by Manitoba and Saskatchewan by bilateral agreement.
Censorship in Singapore mainly targets political, racial, religious issues and homosexual content as defined by out-of-bounds markers.
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board is a Philippine government agency under the Office of the President of the Philippines that is responsible for the classification and review of television programs, motion pictures and home videos.
A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of video games based on suitability for target audiences. Most of these systems are associated with and/or sponsored by a government, and are sometimes part of the local motion picture rating system. The utility of such ratings has been called into question by studies that publish findings such as 90% of teenagers claim that their parents "never" check the ratings before allowing them to rent or buy video games, and as such, calls have been made to "fix" the existing rating systems. Video game content rating systems can be used as the basis for laws that cover the sales of video games to minors, such as in Australia. Rating checking and approval is part of the game localization when they are being prepared for their distribution in other countries or locales. These rating systems have also been used to voluntarily restrict sales of certain video games by stores, such as the German retailer Galeria Kaufhof's removal of all video games rated 18+ by the USK following the Winnenden school shooting.
The Manitoba Film Classification Board (MFCB) was a provincial government organization responsible for rating films and video games rented, sold, or shown in the province of Manitoba. In mid 2018, the Board was dissolved, with its duties being outsourced to British Columbia for film classifications, and transferred to the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) for video games.
Motion picture ratings in Canada are mostly a provincial responsibility, and each province has its own legislation regarding exhibition and admission. For home video purposes, a single Canadian Home Video Rating System rating consisting of an average of the participating provincial ratings is displayed on retail packages, although various provinces may have rules on display and sale, especially for the R and A categories.
The Australian Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice is a self-regulatory code adopted by free-to-air broadcasters in the Australian media. Although developed by industry, the code has been registered with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
The United States pay television content advisory system is a television content rating system developed cooperatively by the American pay television industry; it first went into effect on March 1, 1994, on cable-originated premium channels owned by the system's principal developers, Home Box Office, Inc. and Showtime Networks. The voluntary-participation system—developed to address public concerns about explicit sexual content, graphic violence and strong profanity that tend to be featured in pay-cable and pay-per-view programming—provides guidance to subscribers on the suitability of a program for certain audiences based on its content.
The RTÉ Programme Classification is a rating system for television programmes or films in Ireland. The system was introduced in November 2001 and issues viewers on RTÉ One and RTÉ Two, at the beginning of a programme, with a rating to indicate which age group the content is suitable for.
The Finnish Board of Film Classification was an official institution of the Finnish Ministry of Education. From 1946 until the end of year 2011, the VET/SFB was responsible for inspecting and rating the content of movies and video games. In the beginning of 2012, the VET/SFB was dissolved and its functions were transferred to the Finnish Centre for Media Education and Audiovisual Media, likewise operating under the Ministry of Education.
The Korea Communications Standards Commission is an institution of the South Korean government that regulates communications including film, television, radio, and internet.
A mobile software content rating system is a rating system which is tailored to users of mobile software.
Media regulation in the Republic of Singapore is carried out by the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) and effected by various laws.
The Kenya Film Classification Board is a state corporation that operates under the Government of Kenya whose mandate is to "regulate the creation, broadcasting, possession, distribution and exhibition of films by rating them." The Board was founded in 1963 with the commencement of the laws outlined in the Films and Stage Plays Act of 1962 and has since involved itself in the rating and classification of films and television programmes. More recently, it has caused controversy by banning several films, such as the American box office success The Wolf of Wall Street, the Kenyan film Stories of Our Lives, Rafiki, and the 2015 film Fifty Shades of Grey based on the novel of the same name. The Board has also regulated television content, including advertisements.
↑ "Símbolos de autoclassificação". Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 26 December 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
↑ Until December 2012, the pictogram Déconseillé aux moins de 10 ans used to disappear after a few minutes. It now remains on screen for the duration of the programme. DecisionArchived 10 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine from the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel. (in French)
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