Television can be a great tool to enhance your child’s learning. So it’s important to know the options you have to help your children make wise television viewing choices. Read the story below to see one parent’s experience.
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As Ms Corrine Fong sat glued to her television set watching an episode of "Nip/Tuck", she was startled by the scenes she saw, which featured some bone-chillingly realistic surgical procedures.
A critically-acclaimed American drama series about two plastic surgeons and their Miami-based cosmetic surgical practice, the drama explores themes such as violence, sexuality, recreational drug use and self-mutilation. To meet content guidelines for Free-To-Air TV broadcast, some portions of the drama were edited before it was shown on MediaCorp.
"I really didn't expect to see it on TV here, because some scenes were graphic," said the teacher from Pioneer Primary School. Her concern with TV content echoes the views of many parents.
In the case of "Nip/Tuck", the programme was aired after 10 pm and accompanied by an advisory which alerts parents to its content concerns and unsuitability for younger audiences. By having such advisories, and recognising that certain types of content can be broadcast only at certain times of the day, parents can make an informed decision as to whether their children should be allowed to watch a particular programme.
Ms Fong also strongly believes that parents have a role to play in guiding their kids' TV viewing habits. "Watching TV together with your children allows you to discuss the show with them, and if something inappropriate is shown or said, you can point out that it is something that is not acceptable to your family’s value system," she said. |
Family viewing policy, PG-rated and PG 13-rated programmes on Free-to-Air channels
Did you know that we have rules that govern the content of television programming on Free-to-Air channels? The Free-to-Air channels in Singapore are Channel 5, Channel 8, Channel U, Channel News Asia, Okto, Suria, and Vasantham. The aim of these rules is to ensure that only family-friendly material can be broadcast at times when there is likely to be a high concentration of child viewers. So from 6 am to 10 pm the programmes broadcast on Free-to-Air channels need to be family-friendly.
Programmes that are rated PG (Parental Guidance) usually contain themes or content which may not be suitable for young viewers. There are no time restrictions on the scheduling of PG-rated programmes. However, broadcasters are required to rate the programmes clearly and provide the appropriate PG advisory.
So what’s the difference between PG and PG 13?
TV programmes given the Parental Guidance 13 (PG 13) rating contain more mature themes or scenes compared to programmes rated PG. TV programmes rated PG 13 are therefore only allowed on Free-to-Air channels after 10 pm. Like PG programmes, broadcasters are required to rate PG 13 programmes clearly and provide the appropriate consumer advice.
You can find out about ratings and consumer advice for programmes from newspapers and magazines, online on the channel’s web pages, as well as in the Electronic Programmes Guides (EPG). These resources will help you make informed choices when selecting programmes for your children.
Here are the rating symbols for Free-to-Air (FTA) channels
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Parental Guidance
Suitable for most, but not all ages. Parents should guide their young as some scenes may be disturbing to children. |
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Parental Guidance 13
Advisable for those aged 13 and above. Some content may be unsuitable for young children. Contains more mature themes or scenes compared to PG. Broadcast only allowed after 10pm |
Programmes that are suitable for the whole family or for general audiences are rated G. These programmes do not carry the ratings symbol on FTA television.
Rated programmes on pay television (pay TV) platforms
Since viewers consciously choose and pay for content on pay TV platforms, programmes with higher ratings of NC16 (not for children under 16) and M18 (Mature 18) are allowed for broadcast on Pay TV channels. You can identify the programmes with higher ratings by these symbols:
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No Children Under 16
Not appropriate for those below 16 years of age, as programme may contain more explicit scenes |
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Mature 18
For viewers aged 18 and above. These films may contain mature themes which are more suitable for young adults. |
Accessing Parental Locks
Do you know that you can limit access to channels on your pay TV so that your children are not exposed to mature content? Both SingTel’s mioTV and Starhub provide parental locks that promote responsible viewing. Click below to find out how you can access the parental lock feature offered by pay-TV broadcasters
Feedback
Do you have any suggestions on something you’ve seen on television or a programme you’ve heard on the radio? You can always send us feedback on this page. For more information on television and radio broadcasts please click here
Learn more about ratings and consumer advice for the other media: