I studied regulation in the music industry in order to grasp the types of songs and music video content that was appropriate to broadcast to a target audience of 16-25 year olds. It has taught me that I must be wary of the language and also the fact that the lyrics could be interpreted in a potentially offensive way.
Regulating bodies
The UK music industry is largely self-regulated, meaning that the artist and the company who represent them retain a certain aspect of control over the content that they produce.
However, there are also several regulating bodies within the music industry, ensuring that the content which is broadcast on the television and radio is appropriate for public viewing.
Ofcom is one of the biggest regulating bodies in the UK music industry. They have the authority to rebuke broadcasters for releasing songs and music videos that break the guidelines on harmful or offensive content, pre-watershed.
Regulating bodies
The UK music industry is largely self-regulated, meaning that the artist and the company who represent them retain a certain aspect of control over the content that they produce.
However, there are also several regulating bodies within the music industry, ensuring that the content which is broadcast on the television and radio is appropriate for public viewing.
Ofcom is one of the biggest regulating bodies in the UK music industry. They have the authority to rebuke broadcasters for releasing songs and music videos that break the guidelines on harmful or offensive content, pre-watershed.
Ofcom have a statutory duty to protect under-eighteens. This means that when children are likely to be listening to the radio (pre-watershed), broadcasters have a duty to regulate the type of content they air. They are not allowed to play songs that are potentially offensive. This includes offensive language or potentially offensive interpretations of the lyrics (sexualised language etc.)
In music videos, when songs are combined with clear sexualised images, it means that the material is more likely to cause offence. Again, broadcasters must be aware of this, and only play age appropriate content pre-watershed.
The BBFC are in charge of regulating online music videos. All videos produced by artists signed to Sony Music UK will be classified with a BBFC age rating, if they are deemed unsuitable for children under the age of 12. The rating can be seen next to the video when it is published on YouTube.
UK record labels must submit any music video that they would expect to receive a 12 rating or above, by artists that are signed to their label. The BBFC then examines the videos and classifies them with an age rating, based on the BBFC classification guidelines. British artists signed to US record labels do not have their videos regulated by the BBFC.
The kind of issues that are considered include bad language, dangerous behaviour, drug misuse, violence and nudity.
Another regulatory company are the BPI (British Phonographic Industry). They aim of the BPI is to promote British music and fight copyright infringement.
The Digital Economy Act 2010 addresses issues relating to digital media. This includes copyright infringement as well as Internet domain names. It also makes provisions about the regulation of television and radio.
Streaming
In a tech savvy generation, streaming has become an increasingly popular way of listening to music. It's profits account for around 80 percent of the music industry's revenue. After many years of declining growth in the industry, due to lack of CD and Vinyl sales, as well as an increase in illegal streaming, online streaming services have helped it to recover. Subscriber pay monthly fees to access the service.
Furthermore, companies such as PRS help artists to tackle the changes that streaming has brought about in the industry. They also help to fight music piracy and pay their members royalties when their work is broadcast, streamed, downloaded or used on TV.
Banned Music
In music videos, when songs are combined with clear sexualised images, it means that the material is more likely to cause offence. Again, broadcasters must be aware of this, and only play age appropriate content pre-watershed.
The BBFC are in charge of regulating online music videos. All videos produced by artists signed to Sony Music UK will be classified with a BBFC age rating, if they are deemed unsuitable for children under the age of 12. The rating can be seen next to the video when it is published on YouTube.
UK record labels must submit any music video that they would expect to receive a 12 rating or above, by artists that are signed to their label. The BBFC then examines the videos and classifies them with an age rating, based on the BBFC classification guidelines. British artists signed to US record labels do not have their videos regulated by the BBFC.
The kind of issues that are considered include bad language, dangerous behaviour, drug misuse, violence and nudity.
Another regulatory company are the BPI (British Phonographic Industry). They aim of the BPI is to promote British music and fight copyright infringement.
The Digital Economy Act 2010 addresses issues relating to digital media. This includes copyright infringement as well as Internet domain names. It also makes provisions about the regulation of television and radio.
Streaming
In a tech savvy generation, streaming has become an increasingly popular way of listening to music. It's profits account for around 80 percent of the music industry's revenue. After many years of declining growth in the industry, due to lack of CD and Vinyl sales, as well as an increase in illegal streaming, online streaming services have helped it to recover. Subscriber pay monthly fees to access the service.
Furthermore, companies such as PRS help artists to tackle the changes that streaming has brought about in the industry. They also help to fight music piracy and pay their members royalties when their work is broadcast, streamed, downloaded or used on TV.
Banned Music
I did some additional research into a couple of songs that were banned from being broadcast on the television and radio, and I have embedded this below.
This research has really made me think about the nature of my choices. Because I have under-eighteens in my target audience, I have to be a lot stricter about the regulation of my music video. For example, there cannot be any offensive language in the lyrics of the song I choose and there cannot be any offensive imagery in the music video. Further more, alcohol consumption is not allowed, or any allusions to bad or antisocial behaviour.
Therefore, I intend to choose a song with no offensive language and without any references to inappropriate themes such as sex and drugs etc. In the music video, I will also keep my performance viewer friendly, having no sexualised images or inappropriate behaviour.
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