Censorship debate - The Politics Show (BBC 1 South East)

MP for Canterbury, Julian Brazier, doesn't agree with the BBFC allowing adults to decide for themselves what movies or video games they should watch and so was trying to change the law in a way that would allow the government to dictate BBFC classification policies, chose who runs the board and even ban already classified works on whatever whim suits a particular MP.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/7254808.stm

This debate aired on the BBC1 South East regional version of "The Politics Show" which broadcast on Sunday 24/02/08. (Sky channel 893 if you live outside that broadcast area).

The debate also contains an interview with the obnoxious John Beyer of pressure group Mediawatch UK, who also seems to think he knows whats best for us and we don't.
http://www.mediawatchuk.org.uk

I've also included the email replies they got in on this subject which aired at the end of the show, that shows it is the likes of Julian Brazier and John Beyer who are out of step with public opinion, not the other way round. They also ignore the fact that the BBFC's policies were drawn up after a massive public consultation that showed the public wanted less censorship not more.
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/news/press/20000914.html
(note how Beyer tries to play this down when interviewed)

Strange how Julian Brazier blames violent films and games for all of societies ills, when it ignores the Governments own research into this which found there was no proveable link.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/43247.stm

You can visit Mr Braziers official website and see what politically motivated, pseudo scientific reasons he's using to try and justify this nonsense at http://www.julianbrazier.co.uk/

Funny how the UK was, up until 2000, was the most heavily censored country in Europe, whilst Holland has always been the most liberal. Yet there is nothing to suggest that Holland, or any other of the more liberal countries, ever had a higher crime rate than the more censorious ones. So that makes a mockery of that argument!

For those following these events, his bill was debated in Parlaiment on 29/02/08 and was kicked out as being unworkable. A few MP's quite spectacularly rubbished his arguments about the evils of violent films, pointing out that old movies like "SS Experimet Camp", which Mr Brazier seemed to think had no place in a civilised society, shouldn't be banned as they were just badly made, tacky rubbish.
See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7270882.stm

Good to see common sense prevailed on this occaison!

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Julian
• Brazier
• BBFC
• accountability
• bill
• politics
• show
• John
• Beyer
• Mediawatch
• video
• nasty
• nasties
• anti
• censorship

[86Stooy]

Cencorship = Go online and buy unrated copies of films

[DarkAngel182]

@86Stooy or download them for free!

[blaggermouth]

I think it's a load of bollocks !! If don't like sex & violence, don't watch it. Simple !

[DarkAngel182]

@blaggermouth you need to tell that to our lernid peers, who think we should not be allowed to make our own minds up.

[FunBoy15]

The mediawatch group is a christian group. So, if we are going to censor or ban the movies the way they believe we should lets censor or ban their bible too. the bible contains eye gouging, beheading, rape, live burning, people getting eaten alive, scalpings, god himself killing whole swaths of people - this could prompt an unstable person to kill just as much a film could. Any intelligent person should be able to put things in their proper context, such as the context that a film is NOT REAL.

[lyris1]

LOL, what a fucking moron. "We shouldn't be allowed to see this!"

Grow the fuck up. I assume this MP guy is a conservative?

[TheCoreycoyle]

All I can say is FUCK CENSORSHIP!!! - im sorry but i am against censorship so much that i think its wrong to cut even 1 second out of a film!!!

[bak2skooltv]

how can you take this reporter seriously when he cannot even remember the real title of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and bring up a totally awful example of a horror film such as Jack Frost. also bringing on the most biased mary whitehouse supporter and colleague John Beyer proves my point, this is a biased argument. Eastern Promises is not a horror film, so why end the segment with saying horror films always have a twist at the end.

[bak2skooltv]

how can you take this reporter seriously when he cannot even remember the real title of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and bring up a totally awful example of a horror film such as Jack Frost.

[Allzthedevil]

...People need to lighten up...

[adamatharvard]

@Euadam Lol. your probably right. Although I think he spends quite a bit of time in the gym to be honest. I dont think he even watches half the things he complains about.