Romania

[RO] Glorification of Violence to Be Banned

IRIS 2000-7:1/13

Mariana Stoican

Journalist, Bucharest

UNESCO's national commission in Romania has asked the Romanian Parliament to enact a law prohibiting publication by the mass media of printed and electronic articles, books and CDs in which any form of violence is glorified.

Ruling no.47/2000 of the Consiliul National al Audiovizualului (National Audiovisual Council - CNA) makes provision for several restrictions on the content of broadcasting channels which are designed to protect minors and which - based on self-regulatory mechanisms

- ought to prevent the electronic media from publishing anything that might have negative consequences.

A recent positive example of self-regulation in the television sector was the announcement of measures to be applied by public TV companies in Romania from summer 2000. These concern the use of coloured warning symbols to inform the viewer of the type of film being broadcast. The CNA expects that, from July, commercial broadcasters in Romania will also use these symbols, which are already standard in France and other European countries. Only television programmes suitable for the whole family will not carry a symbol. For example, films containing scenes of violence which could harm children will be denoted by a green circle, while a small orange triangle will indicate a film unsuitable for children under 12. A red rectangle will mean that the film should only be viewed by adults. In accordance with the CNA's standards for all public and private TV broadcasters, it is forbidden to show pornographic or extremely violent scenes.

The warning symbols must "appear clearly" in the corner of the screen throughout the film.