Standards = Principles + Spirit

By MARRIS WEIGHT

November 2010

In recent years reality shows have become the norm of television entertainment.  One of the more popular shows in this genre of programming is New Zealand’s Next Top Model. 

The target audience for this programme are young girls; – it is my niece’s, who is aged ten, favourite programme.  A segment of this programme in a recent episode featured a parade of nude teenage girls being body painted and photographed.  This was under the guise of a competition to determine which participant should progress to the next round.

Ironically that same week the media was also reporting the death of Robert Guccione.  Robert Guccoine made his fortune as founder of Penthouse magazine.  In recent years his empire had suffered declining returns as a result of the accessibility and free availability of light porn through other channels of media, primarily the internet and television.

Shows like the New Zealand’s Next Top Model which sensationalises young girls, should be seen by those responsible for the scheduling of programmes as the modern form of the Penthouse magazine and scheduled accordingly.  They should not be seen as suitable for prime time viewing. 

The screening of this episode of New Zealand’s Next Top Model prior to the watershed hour of 8.30pm calls into question the commitment that Mediaworks – owner of C4 and TV3 has towards ensuring programmes prior to the watershed hour are suitable for children.

Standard nine of the TV code requires broadcasters to be mindful of the effect any programme or promo may have on children during their normally accepted viewing times.  Programmes containing disturbing social and domestic friction or sequences in which people – especially children or animals may be humiliated or badly treated, should be handled with care and sensitivity.  If the programme is thought likely to disturb children it should be screened later in the evening.

If the Codes of Practice are to have a positive impact on programming schedules, it is necessary for parties to the code to be willing not only to adhere to the principles of the code but also to their spirit. 

If scenes of nude teenage models being photographed being shown at 7.30pm at night did not raise issues with programme schedulers in relation to their responsibilities to ensure that programmes do not breach the norms of good taste and decency, then these sorts of scenes should raise issues with them in regards to the subliminal message they send to the young female audience.  Showing a male photographer taking photos of teenage girls allowing themselves to be photographed in a suggestive pose, based on the premise that indulging in such activity promotes self confidence is in itself humiliating to the participants.

On the face of it the image of a nude model being body painted and photographed may not be harmful to the viewer, but reality shows are about sending messages through perception.  In the scheduling of reality programmes Mediaworks should not only take into account the immediate effect of the scene on the viewer but enter into the spirit of the TV Code and look at the subliminal message being sent to the viewer.