"FILM CENSORSHIP IS MOTIVATED BY FEARS ABOUT AUDIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY"
DISCUSS THIS STATEMENT IN REFERENCE TO THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED ABOUT UNCENSORED AND UNREGULATED VIDEO CONTENT.
I agree with this statement because I believe that fears from organisations such as the Media Watch, affect the views that the government have on what films are allowed to be aired. The Media Watch was run by Mary Whitehouse, who disagreed against violence, gore, rape, psychological effects and graphic scenes. On one hand I agree with Mary Whitehouse, because I think that films should be monitored because some scenes should not be seen by younger views and now, because of technology and piracy, younger viewers are able to watch films online that are censored. However, I also believe that restricting certain scenes from films could be reducing the awareness of that subject. For example, rape scenes are often restricted, and although this can be disturbing for most viewers, it shows that it happens and more people could possibly tell someone if they need help. Margaret Thatcher is another person who wanted to 'protect' the public from psychological effects. Thatcher blamed media and video nasties such as Evil Dead and I Spit On Your Grave as a scapegoat to deflect from real problems. She alerted a moral panic which meant that people that these video nasties must be the cause of peoples psychological problems. However, this meant that socially, people wanted to rebel and see them anyway.
Technology helped people to see the films that they couldn't see in cinemas because of government regulation. VHS tapes helped made this happen because they were regulated which meant that the government couldn't control who saw the film. It also made it possible for some people to see films in their comfort on their own home using a VHS player. VHS players also made it easier for people to record films that have been aired on TV. However, this made piracy easier which meant that younger viewers could see films that would've been regulated if they went to the cinema. Fortunately, in 1984, the regulation of VHS tapes came about which meant that sellers could know who is allowed to watch the recorded films which made the process more ethical.
The economical effects of the new technology such as VHS recording meant that less people were spending money in cinemas. For the public, this was a good thing, but for film producers it meant that they lost money. However, people watching films more frequently, it meant that some films got their films promoted more so for some people they would still liked to go and see the film again in the cinema for the technological and social experience. Even though some people owned VHS recorders, these were newly released and many people couldn't but it. Though often it would be criminals who had the money to buy one as it meant that they could make money out of it.
In conclusion, I believe that social effects such as the moral panic caused by Margaret Thatcher and the government, had an effect on how films are censored then and today. This caused the government to control what films were censored and that films were regulated because they feared that it had psychological effects on them.
Technology helped people to see the films that they couldn't see in cinemas because of government regulation. VHS tapes helped made this happen because they were regulated which meant that the government couldn't control who saw the film. It also made it possible for some people to see films in their comfort on their own home using a VHS player. VHS players also made it easier for people to record films that have been aired on TV. However, this made piracy easier which meant that younger viewers could see films that would've been regulated if they went to the cinema. Fortunately, in 1984, the regulation of VHS tapes came about which meant that sellers could know who is allowed to watch the recorded films which made the process more ethical.
The economical effects of the new technology such as VHS recording meant that less people were spending money in cinemas. For the public, this was a good thing, but for film producers it meant that they lost money. However, people watching films more frequently, it meant that some films got their films promoted more so for some people they would still liked to go and see the film again in the cinema for the technological and social experience. Even though some people owned VHS recorders, these were newly released and many people couldn't but it. Though often it would be criminals who had the money to buy one as it meant that they could make money out of it.
In conclusion, I believe that social effects such as the moral panic caused by Margaret Thatcher and the government, had an effect on how films are censored then and today. This caused the government to control what films were censored and that films were regulated because they feared that it had psychological effects on them.
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