“Consumer campaigns are hitting broadcasters harder than the regulator.” Terry Flew.

At the ACMA’s citizen engagement forum today, Professor Terry Flew told participants that campaigns such as Destroy the Joint’s change.org petition are now very effective in regulating broadcasters.

The discussion covered many areas surrounding classification, with Flew noting that regulation is not the only way of pressuring broadcasters to recognise community standards.

“Are classification issues outmoded concepts in today’s society,” asked the ACMA’s Chris Chapman as he opend the forum.

Macquarie University professor Wayne Warburton, raised he issue of games classifications, using the example that 56% of Grand Theft Auto game players are children under 17 (in the USA), despite the fact that the game is classified 17+.

Warburton also used the term ‘the digital dummy,’ saying we “often give media to children when we don’t want to supervise them.”

Radio is a very lightly regulated industry when it comes to time zone and classifications restrictions, but the forum is discussing these issues across all media, with potential implications for radio in the long term.

You can follow the forum on the live stream below.