Cut – sex scene censors?

The chances of scenes from sexually explicit films getting through the censors’ net, with serious implications for child protection, could increase if five examiners are axed, Unite warned today (November 1).

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), which classifies films and videos, plans to axe the examiners by the end of the year and replace them with younger, less experienced – and cheaper – compliance officers; at present, there are six such officers.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey has written to the BBFC’s president Patrick Swaffer asking him to reconsider, given the organisation’s enhanced role in taking forward the government’s plans to control online pornography.

Unite said that the BBFC has, historically, recruited mature individuals for its examining department, who bring with them years of work experience and, in many cases, have direct experience of child development in a professional capacity.

The examiners now face a choice between leaving on voluntary severance terms or accepting redeployment into compliance officer posts with a similar reduction in status and a ÂŁ20,000-a-year drop in salary.

In his letter McCluskey said, “It has always been my impression that the BBFC has maintained the trust of the public, particularly in relation to its child protection responsibilities, through the recruitment of mature and experienced individuals who have come from a variety of backgrounds, both personal and professional.

“It seems to me that to replace those individuals with young, inexperienced, graduates is both unfortunate in terms of the BBFC’s public persona, and, quite possibly, a case of age discrimination.”

Public trust

He added that, “Furthermore, I do not believe the public’s trust, and especially that of many parents, will be enhanced by the knowledge that the BBFC is willing to lose the few examiners who view material on a day to day basis who are themselves parents, a status that brings an unimpeachable knowledge and understanding of child development.”

Unite argues that the financial imperatives behind the proposals are no longer valid, as the BBFC’s most recent accounts revealed an operating surplus of more than £1.2m, with turnover up by two per cent and operating costs down by the same figure.

“You can’t put a price on protecting children and young people from the tidal wave of sexually explicit and very violent films and videos that are available in 2016,” believes Unite regional officer Rose Keeping.

“With less inexperienced examiners, there is an increased possibility that an unacceptable sex scene and/or one of extreme violence sneaking past the censors’ net – this would be detrimental to the promotion of child protection that the government is actively supporting.

“We are also investigating whether what the BBFC is proposing for our members contravenes the age discrimination provisions in the 2010 Equality Act.”