4A Protecting Under 18s and Harm and Offence : Scheduling and the Watershed
The main way in which under 18s may be protected from potentially harmful and offensive material is through the appropriate scheduling of programming. In practice this means that, as a general rule, the more adult in nature the content is, the later it should be broadcast, with the 9pm watershed being the crucial point in time before which material unsuitable for children (defined in the Code as those under 15) should not generally be broadcast. Leading up to and after the watershed, parents are expected to take increasing responsibility for their children's viewing.
Some content may be considered so potentially harmful and offensive (e.g. material that "...might seriously impair the physical, mental or moral development of people under 18") that it should never be broadcast on television e.g. scenes condoning sexual violence, very explicit sado-masochistic practices.
Summary of Rules 2
The main way in which under 18s may be protected from potentially harmful and offensive material is through the appropriate scheduling of programming. In practice this means that, as a general rule, the more adult in nature the content is, the later it should be broadcast, with the 9pm watershed being the crucial point in time before which material unsuitable for children (defined in the Code as those under 15) should not generally be broadcast. Leading up to and after the watershed, parents are expected to take increasing responsibility for their children's viewing.
Some content may be considered so potentially harmful and offensive (e.g. material that "...might seriously impair the physical, mental or moral development of people under 18") that it should never be broadcast on television e.g. scenes condoning sexual violence, very explicit sado-masochistic practices.