Romania

[RO] CNA Takes New Steps to Protect Minors

IRIS 2002-10:1/20

Mariana Stoican

Journalist, Bucharest

As a result of Decision no.78, adopted by the Consiliul Na tional al Audiovizualului (National Audiovisual Council

- CNA) on 8 August 2002, new warning symbols will be introduced for films and TV programmes in Romania from this autumn onwards.

The new CNA regulations state that, in order to protect minors, TV operators should separate these productions into the following five categories and label them with the appropriate warning symbol: 1) Productions whose content is generally acceptable and which therefore need no particular warning symbol; 2) Productions which may only be watched by children under 12 with their parents' consent. The symbol for this category consists of a small red circle with the letters "AP" (standing for the Romanian phrase acord parental = parental agreement) written in white across the middle; 3) Productions unsuitable for children under 12. These should be marked with a red circle with the number 12 written in white in the centre; 4) Productions which children under 16 are prohibited from watching. The sign is a red circle containing the number 16; 5) Productions which are unsuitable for children under 18, for which the symbol is a red circle containing the number 18. The symbol must be clearly visible in the bottom right hand corner of the screen throughout the entire broadcast of the production concerned. Productions in categories 2 and 3 may only be shown after 8pm. Those unsuitable for children under 16 or under 18 may not be broadcast before 10pm. Various criteria relating to the content of all five categories are set out in the CNA decision. Decision no.78 was published on 16 August 2002 and entered into force thirty days later.