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Physically released music videos to require age ratings from October
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 31 July 2014
The British Board Of Film Classification has confirmed that physically released music videos will, from later this year, be required to have age ratings from the organisation prior to being released.
As previously reported, this follows a review of the Video Recordings Act by the government, which was completed last year. Until now, only physically released music videos containing “extreme” content have required an age rating. Under the pending changes to the Act, anything that fits the criteria for a twelve certificate or above will have to be classified by BBFC examiners. Previously these would have been stamped ‘exempt’, or simply not put forward for review at all.
The changes had been expected to come into force in the spring, but will now become a legal requirement from 1 Oct.
The Video Recordings Act does not currently apply to digital platforms, where most music videos are surely consumed these days, though at the request of the government the BBFC and record industry trade group the BPI are jointly working on a pilot scheme for applying age ratings to online videos.
