Media Regulation Flashcards
Classification Board (CB)
The classification board is an Australian statutory classification and censorship body formed by the Australian Government which classifies films, video games and publications in Australia. They also classify internet sites related to the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA).
Australian Communication Media Authority (ACMA)
The ACMA is an Australian Government statutory authority within the “Communications portfolio”. The ACMA is tasked with ensuring media and communications works for all Australians. It does this through various legislation, regulations, standards and codes of practice. ACMA is responsible for the regulation of broadcasting: the internet, radio communications and telecommunications.
The Advertising Standards Bureau (ABS)
The ABS administers a national system of advertising self-regulation through Advertising Standards Board and the Advertising Claims Board. They manage the complaint resolution process and voice to consumer values and guide industry in maintaining decent, honest advertising aligning with dominant community values.
3 arguments in favour of the Advertising Standards bureau regulations:
To protect children from being desensitised from potentially harmful or damaging media images.
To protect adults from seeing unsolicited material that is likely to offend.
To prevent the possibility of copy-cat behaviour. E.g. Media regulates advertisements portraying suicide, to prevent people from copying the media portrayal to suicide, hence copy-cat behaviour.
Argument AGAINST media regulation: Social Media
Social media (shouldn’t be regulated as it) allows people to connect in a crisis, get help if needed, build awareness of world issues and the right to free speech. However, the “Arab Spring” took root through social media, and was so effective at organising the grassroots that the Australian government shut it down. Providing a back door that the Australian Government can monitor takes away a primary way for ordinary citizens to assert their right to free speech. (“The case against social media regulation”, 2011, Randall Craig).
Arguments FOR media regulation: Women’s Magazines.
Women’s magazines should be regulated as the general teenage female audience who witness unrealistic photoshopped female models are desensitised into believing their own body features aren’t “good enough”. Teenage girls who read “dietary advice” are claimed to be associated with: strict food diets, laxatives, skipping meals, vomiting and smoking. (“Young women and magazines”, 2007, Melinda Reist). These symptoms are very harmful to the teenage girls falling into this “self-conscious trap” and therefore, Women’s magazines such as: “Health” and “Women’s Health” should be regulated by the media.
Arguments AGAINST media regulation: Junk food advertising.
Junk food advertising should not be regulated as there is no proven evidence that it leads to obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle for individuals, including children. Dr Rhonda Jolly, “Marketing Obesity?,2011” Claims that junk food can be apart of a “balanced diet” and that it should be the responsibility of “individuals, including children”, to make decisions about what they consume, not the government.
Arguments AGAINST media regulation: Women’s Magazines.
Women’s magazines in association with what a “good” body image should look like, such as the magazine, “Heath” and “Women’s Health” should not be regulated as individuals should make their own decision regarding what media they consume and how it affects them, as body image is a personal struggle, not the media’s. Israel’s new advertising standard known as the “photoshop law” requires models to have a proven BMI of above 18. “If the model has been photoshopped, this knowledge must be referenced with the photo.” This is advocating that women don’t have to be photoshopped to look “good” and feel healthy, and that the audience are notified if the model is unrealistic or not which will reassure their beliefs on the issue.
Arguments FOR media regulation: Violent Video Games
Violent video games should be regulated as they can desensitise a minor from harmful or disturbing content in violent video games. University of Missouri blames violent video games from desensitising minors to violence and even aggressive behaviour. MU Psychologist, Bruce Bartholow says “Playing a violent video game, even for 25 minutes, has a significant effect to the brain’s response to violence indicating a desensitisation process”.
Outline 2 arguments and examples of evidence that support or oppose a claim to influence an audience.
Magazines targeting teenagers.
Support:
Teens who read magazines, specifically associated with culture and politics, develop awareness about society and the world. Chhandita Chakravarity from “Mom Junction”, 2016, “Positive and negative effects on teenagers” claims that “this cultural and political awareness is vital if we want to groom a generation of socially responsible citizens.”
Oppose:
Teen who read magazines, specifically associated with health and beauty, can distort their view of their own body image based on seeing flawless “photoshopped” models. Chhandita from “Mom Junction”, 2016, “Positive and Negative effects on teenagers” claims that “Thanks to photoshop, the standard of beauty has become impossible to achieve. Anorexia is a fall out of this body image crisis.”
