The mandate of the Film and Publication Board (FPB) in the new democratic dispensation has evolved from a censor to a content regulatory system. The legislation in post-apartheid South Africa clearly anticipated a new system of classification to provide a clear balance between the constitutional rights of adults to choose what content they are exposed to and what content they consume. In so doing they can prioritise the exposure of children to inappropriate content.
Take for example the film e’Lollipop that was nearly banned in the 1970s because the feel-good cult film was about an interracial friendship between two young boys in the racially divided South Africa. Fast forward to post-apartheid the FPB gave it an A rating meaning the film is suitable for all audiences.
Another prominent example is the banning of Scope magazine in 1972, the then Censorship Board banned the weekly magazine but this was overturned by the Supreme Court. The Censorship Board banned it because it published a black man embracing a white woman. Today it is people’s constitutional right to be free to choose what content they wish to consume.
During the apartheid era, censorship affected the creative industry in different ways as it was based on ideological differences rather than telling a story creatively. The creative industry had to find ways to circumvent the problem by writing in different ways. Films, music, music videos and publications were banned by the then Censorship Board for containing inappropriate language, unacceptable sexual references, promotion of a political party or movement, just to name a few. This was just done by pure interpretation of these elements by the ruling government in the apartheid era.
With the birth of democracy, the FPB was formed in 1996 to classify content with the aim of protecting children and adults against exposure to inappropriate content. Today the classification process is aimed at informing the public about the content they consume and aims to guide them and enable them to make more informed decisions when consuming content like films or games for example. The process is not aimed at stifling creativity, but rather to be used by content creators as a guide. The FPB is always available to guide or give advice to content creators regarding classifiable elements.
Over the past 20 years of its existence, the FPB is continuing to grow and adapt to technological advancements. Innovation and technology is advancing at a rapid pace therefore the FPB must adjust accordingly. Content distribution has shifted from physical to digital platforms where a lot of content is available online. Both children and adults need to be made aware of the consequences when uploading and consuming inappropriate content online. Online platforms are used for various reasons including entertainment and educational purposes, which then poses the question, how do we protect our children from being exposed to inappropriate content that is so readily available on so many platforms?
These technological advancements have prompted the drafting of the Films and Publications Amendment Bill to enable the organisation to adapt to the increasing number of content distributed online with the aim of protecting children from exposure to harmful content. The Bill aims at ensuring that consumers are not exposed to inappropriate content. They need to be empowered to make informed decisions so that when they watch a movie, or create their own content that is uploaded online or participate in multiple gaming experiences, they do the right thing without adverse effects they may not be considering.
As part of celebrating 20 years of protecting young minds, the FPB has launched a print series of riveting images to raise awareness about child exploitation through content negligence and the implications thereof. The images and campaign is a call to action for the public to make informed choices when it comes to the content that they and their families are consuming. It is an appeal to the public to adhere to content regulation guidelines set out by the FPB in order to protect young minds. The photo series of which two are showcased in this edition, was shot by world renowned photographer, Sacha Waldman from Infidels. Sacha is best known for a signature style that combines elegance with meticulously controlled texture and palette, he possesses a rare ability to convert raw ideas into compelling exquisitely crafted imagery.
Looking into the next 20 years, the FPB will continue to adjust its ways of working and in so doing amend legislation to keep up with technology, while working with industry stakeholders to ensure that we are adaptable to our changing environment.
