Call for music video age ratings

3 June 2011 Last updated at 15:24 GMT By Angela Harrison Education correspondent, BBC News Rihanna has been criticised for a recent video Music videos should have age ratings to protect children from sexual images and lyrics, an inquiry is to say.

The review - into the sexualisation and commercialisation of childhood - was commissioned by the Prime Minister David Cameron and is due out on Monday.

It was carried out by Reg Bailey, the head of the Mothers' Union, who says parents are unhappy about "an increasingly sexualised culture".

There has been recent controversy about music videos by Rihanna and Lady Gaga.

Mr Bailey is expected to recommend that the retail, advertising and video industries be given 18 months to clean up their acts voluntarily, or face tougher government regulation.

Broadcasters would be expected to pay heed to the age rating when deciding when to broadcast music videos.

Campaigners will scrutinise the full recommendations when they are published to see how effective they might be in the digital age, when most young people view music videos online and on their telephones.

Recently, the X Factor faced complaints about performances by Christina Agueilera and Rihanna, but the regulator Ofcom did not uphold them.

A survey carried out for the review suggested that almost nine out of 10 UK parents thought children were having to grow up too early.

About half of the 1,000 parents questioned were unhappy with what was shown on television before the current "watershed" of 2100.

A majority of parents of five to 16-year-olds said music videos and a "celebrity culture" were encouraging children to act older than they were.

The review also looked at concerns about adult-style clothing aimed at young children, as well as toys and games some parents feel are inappropriate.

Padded bras and other adult clothing aimed at young girls is a concern for some parents

Mr Bailey believes sexually explicit videos contribute to a "wallpaper" of sexual images surrounding children.

Speaking last month, he said parents were "struggling against the slow creep of an increasingly commercial and sexualised culture and behaviour, which they say prevents them from parenting the way they want".

He said parents "had little faith in regulators or businesses taking their concerns seriously", but also were put off complaining by fears they would be seen as "prudish or out of touch".

His review is expected to call for the advertising industry not to place adverts containing sexualised imagery close to schools, nurseries and playgrounds.

And it is understood it will call for a single online portal to be set up where parents can complain about the way products are marketed to children.

Rihanna

The pop star Rihanna has been defending her latest music video Man Down, saying it is "art with a message".

On a social networking site she wrote: "I'm a 23 year old rockstar with no kids! What's up with everybody wantin me to be a parent? I'm just a girl, I can only be your/our voice!".

Katherine Rake, chief executive of the Family and Parenting Institute, said: "Developments in technology, media and commerce mean the current generation of UK children are being subjected to some entirely new pressures.

"Parents are concerned children are experiencing too much too young in terms of sexualised images and aggressive advertising. Steps must be taken to make parents feel they are regaining some control of the messages their children absorb."

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English Bacc music GCSE warning

24 May 2011 Last updated at 13:03 GMT By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent Musicians warn that GCSE music will suffer from its exclusion from the English Bacc It could become "impossible" for young people in England to study music GCSE, if the English Baccalaureate is kept in its current form, a professional body for musicians says.

Music is not included in the proposed English Bacc list of GCSE subjects.

And the Incorporated Society of Musicians is writing to the schools minister to say teachers are reporting the subject is being "squeezed out".

An education department spokesman said funding for music was being protected.

A final decision on the shape of the English Bacc, for the 2012 league tables, is expected from ministers in the next few weeks.

'Almighty shock'

But Incorporated Society of Musicians chief executive Deborah Annetts said teachers had already reported a drop in pupils taking music GCSE and one school where it was no longer on the curriculum.

The English Bacc sets out the subjects on which league tables will be based showing how many pupils achieve at least a C grade.

The subjects proposed by the government are English, maths, two sciences, an ancient or modern language and either history or geography.

But critics say this will undermine the teaching of other subjects and limit the choices for GCSE.

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It is a concern to the government that children, particularly in deprived areas, are not being offered that combination of choices”

End Quote Nick Gibb Schools minister "Without music GCSE being given the weighting it deserves, our cultural and creative economy will be put at risk, and young people who want to be involved in the music sector will have their efforts hampered," said Ms Annetts.

"The government is setting England up for an almighty shock in the future if they continue this policy - let alone the impact it is already having on young people who want to study music."

There have also been protests about the absence of religious education and economics from the list and concerns schools will prevent pupils taking both history and geography, when only one will appear in the league-table results.

A Department for Education spokesman rejected the suggestion that music in school was not being supported.

"We've actually protected ?82.5m funding for music services this year and are reforming the system so money is targeted where it is needed most in future.

"We're recruiting top music graduates and performers into the profession through Teach First and will launch a National Plan for Music Education later this year - to close the 'musical divide' between rich and poor."

And he said that it was up to schools how they responded to the English Bacc.

"The ball is in schools' court over how they structure their curriculum and best meet pupils' needs. The number of EBacc subjects has been kept deliberately small - leaving plenty of lesson time to offer other valuable academic and non-academic qualifications, like music and RE."

On Monday Schools Minister Nick Gibb told the House of Commons the English Bacc would add to the quality of information available and help ensure more children take core academic subjects.

"The English Baccalaureate is not prescriptive. It is just a measure, one of many measures, that this government are putting forward as part of the transparency agenda," he said.

"It is the next stage in that school's improved performance. It is a concern to the government that children, particularly in deprived areas, are not being offered that combination of choices."

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