Changes ahead - new code for babe channels

I read today's announcement from Ofcom with interest. It seems that from 1st September babe channels will come under a revamped advertising code and would no longer be governed by the broadcasting code, which means that technically they'll no longer be under Ofcom's cosh.

However, 'for the time being' Ofcom will continue as the regulatory body:

1.24 Ofcom, BCAP and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have agreed that, for the time being, Ofcom will be the regulatory body for Participation TV (defined as all types of long-form advertising that are primarily dependent on promotion of Premium Rate Service phone lines, and other paid interaction with content). This includes services currently regulated by Ofcom (adult chat, psychic, quiz) and others currently regulated by the ASA (gambling, message boards, dating).

All channels will need to have their licences reclassified as 'teleshopping', but the advertising code will be tweaked to allow the broadcasting of unencrypted adult material (not currently permissible).

Ofcom now conceded that these types of channels are acceptable to the public.

1.6 However, research commissioned by Ofcom on audience views of Participation TV services showed that viewers are generally tolerant of such services continuing to be broadcast, subject to certain safeguards to ensure that services are appropriately labelled and positioned so that viewers do not chance upon them unintentionally.

Ofcom are now stating that if the adult PRS channels are clearly signposted and broadcast in an adult section of the epg they will meet the requirements of the newly tweaked advertising code and can broadcast unencrypted.

Their current beef with the Freeview platform is that this requirement is not met - although set top boxes can lock out channels there is no clearly signposted adult section of the Freeview epg.

My understanding is that this is no longer true - haven't all adult channels been moved to channel 90 and above?

The following quote implies that Ofcom's current concerns regarding Freeview will go away soon:

1.13 A proposal from Arqiva, who operate DTT multiplexes that carry Adult Chat PTV services and are a board member of DMOL, seeks to improve labelling and sign-posting on the DTT EPG. Ofcom considers that, if such a proposal were implemented, channels carried on DTT would be able to meet the proposed Advertising Code requirement that such channels "are appropriately positioned and labelled within an 'Adult' or similar section of an Electronic Programme Guide".

Today's news must be a huge relief to babe channel operators as there was genuine concern that all babe channels would have to be encrypted.

With typical Ofcom vagueness there's no redefinition of the existing code, nor any declaration that it will be transferred to the auspices of the ASA
untouched, nor that the ASA had to adhere to it 100%. The babe channels will be under a new advertising code, yet Ofcom remain as a regulator 'for the time being'.

A total mess yet again!

However, this leaves room for possible ambiguity in the forthcoming months which could be fun for us viewers. No doubt there'll be another clampdown, but until then it could be good, especially as this radical change of regulation ties in nicely with Bluebird's launch.

(03-06-2010 21:53 )Digital Dave Wrote:  However, this leaves room for possible ambiguity in the forthcoming months which could be fun for us viewers. No doubt there'll be another clampdown, but until then it could be good, especially as this radical change of regulation ties in nicely with Bluebird's launch.

That all made for interesting reading, DD. I shall be watching with interest.

All I can say is thats fantastic news, come september full frontal pussy shows could now be a possibility, I bet you bangbabes must have cracked out the champagne when they heard the news, its about time, a long time in waiting, bye bye ofcom.

(04-06-2010 06:15 )Scottishbloke Wrote:  All I can say is thats fantastic news, come september full frontal pussy shows could now be a possibility, I bet you bangbabes must have cracked out the champagne when they heard the news, its about time, a long time in waiting, bye bye ofcom.

I don't think so. This is not anything new.

It has been clear since January that this was what was going to happen. Rather than something that was designed to allow harder content, this was something put in place to allow the babe channels to exist at all. The Ofcom consultation from January covered people's attitudes to the channels etc.

The rules under the Advertising Code are actually tighter than the rules that Ofcom currently apply, hence the need to amend the Advertising Code to allow babe channels to operate under it.

Unfortunately, we are not about to enter a world where anything goes on the channels.

it just seems to be reaffirming the code, so the adult channels dont need to be pin protected is all, i seriously doubt that full frontal will be allowed, as full frontal is barely allowed on tvx and redhot.

(04-06-2010 09:52 )chrislatimer Wrote:  it just seems to be reaffirming the code, so the adult channels dont need to be pin protected is all, i seriously doubt that full frontal will be allowed, as full frontal is barely allowed on tvx and redhot.

So they WON'T be pin protected? How about making them pin protected, so we can get what we want???

(04-06-2010 13:33 )mrmann Wrote:  

(04-06-2010 09:52 )chrislatimer Wrote:  it just seems to be reaffirming the code, so the adult channels dont need to be pin protected is all, i seriously doubt that full frontal will be allowed, as full frontal is barely allowed on tvx and redhot.

So they WON'T be pin protected? How about making them pin protected, so we can get what we want???

you would think they would do that wouldnt you.

Do you know which channels are registered in The Netherlands? I've heard Babestation was, and haven't seen any warnings or complaints against them, yet they still censor the shows.

Sorry for laughing so hard, but reading all these views - and all the others on the countless threads relating to the babe channels/Ofcom - I can't help but dispair at the fact that no one has EVER predicted correctly what's going to be happening. We've been discussing Ofcom and the future of these channels for years now, and no one is any the wiser... no one really knows what's going on at all, do they?

I hasten to add that's not to take anything away from reports like the one DD posted here in the OP - things learnt from Ofcom's site is one thing, but the speculation, rumour and predictions that follow are fairly pointless. The only thing that's EVER going to answer our questions is time.

(04-06-2010 13:33 )mrmann Wrote:  

(04-06-2010 09:52 )chrislatimer Wrote:  it just seems to be reaffirming the code, so the adult channels dont need to be pin protected is all, i seriously doubt that full frontal will be allowed, as full frontal is barely allowed on tvx and redhot.

So they WON'T be pin protected? How about making them pin protected, so we can get what we want???

I don't fully understand the technicalities,but that seems the logical thing to do; the machinery is already in place for PPV & SUBS channels including SKY BoxOffice as well as Adult channels as well as Sports channels+ FV TVX & BSXtreme, all of which require payment to view; however there are anomolies, SKY EPG shows SKY945 XXXSwingers to run beyond watershed(although I think the Boudoir starts 5:00 or 5:30), so if you tune in to watch the boudoir between 5:30-6:00 you have to enter your pin to access it even though it isn't adult but EPG says it is.
As I've posted previously it's all inconsistent bollocks, while Daddy is watching encrypted or otherwise girly shows or softcore porn on TV , Junior is in his bedroom with PC or Laptop watching free unrestricted hardcore porn.

EDIT to "enter your pin to access it", BangBabes on SKY 959 requiring pin access between 9:00pm-10:00pm as EPG listed as "18"; no access issues for other BB channels, despite Lori & Alex tits out since 9:30pm.