The Media Development Authority (MDA) will
investigate if MediaCorp had breached guidelines under the
Television Advertising Code by showing a horror trailer during
primetime.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of
Communications and Information, Ms Sim Ann, said this in response
to a question by Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Christopher De
Souza.
Mr De Souza had related how a nine-year-old resident
had told him that she couldn't sleep after she saw the horror
trailer on TV at 8pm.
Regulations stipulate that on free-to-air television, trailers for
films featuring violence or horror elements, which are unsuitable
for viewing by children cannot be aired between 6am and 10pm, as
that time belt is meant for family audiences. Trailers with
stronger content can only be shown after 10pm.
Speaking in Parliament on Friday, Ms Sim Ann said the MDA had
recently reviewed the primetime slot on MediaCorp's channels and
found that the broadcaster had complied with its guidelines on
trailers.
But in response to Mr De Souza's feedback, she said the authorities
will look into the case.
A spokesperson from MediaCorp said promotional trailers of
programmes with horror or violent themes that are cleared for
broadcast prior to 10pm are editorially prepared without the
contentious scenes, images and elements that would be deemed
inappropriate for younger audience.
Such trailers would also carry the relevant Parental Guidance
consumer advisory.
The spokesperson added careful scheduling discretion is always
observed for such trailers, both in terms of frequency of telecast
and deliberate avoidance of airing them within time slots targeted
at younger audience.
The spokesperson said: "In compliance with the guidelines in the
Free-To-Air Television Programme Code, promotional trailers of
programmes with horror/violence themes that are cleared for
broadcast prior to 10pm are editorially prepared without the
contentious scenes, images and elements that would be deemed
inappropriate for younger audience.
"Such trailers would also carry the relevant Parental Guidance (PG)
consumer advisory. In addition, careful scheduling discretion is
always observed for such trailers, both in terms of frequency of
telecast, deliberate avoidance of airing them within time
slots/programmes targeted at younger/family audience."
- CNA/de
