Horror and Violent Film Trailers in Prime-time Belt

Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether the Ministry will implement measures to ensure that trailers for horror or violent films or films inappropriate for viewing by children are not screened on television channels before 10.00 pm.

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Sir, the Media Development Authority's (MDA) Television Advertising Code requires broadcasters to exercise care and sensitivity when showing trailers or other advertisements, both on free-to-air and subscription platforms.

On free-to-air television, trailers for films featuring violence and horror elements, or are otherwise unsuitable for viewing by children cannot be aired between 6.00 am and 10.00 pm, as that time belt is meant for family audiences. Trailers with stronger content can only be shown after 10.00 pm. Likewise, for subscription television, trailers for content rated Parental Guidance 13, NC16 and M18 cannot be aired on channels targeted at children. Trailers must also be scheduled appropriately.

Furthermore, trailers on both free-to-air television and subscription television channels are required to clearly display the classification rating of the film being advertised.

MDA recently reviewed the primetime slot on MediaCorp's channels and observed that MediaCorp has complied with its guidelines on trailers. If the hon Member has concerns with any particular trailer, we welcome his feedback and will look into the case.

Besides trailers and advertisements, MDA's free-to-air and subscription television programme codes outline the general standards to be observed for programmes on these platforms.

The question was not a hypothetical one. It was borne out of an appeal given to me by a nine-year-old resident along the Bukit Timah corridor. Her name is Rene. In it, she had said that she had viewed a horror trailer at 8.00 pm and was unable to sleep for nights after that, and she checked around and some of her friends also had viewed the trailer. My question is: if the logic is that horror movies are screened after 10.00 pm, would there be an assurance from the Ministry that trailers of such movies are not screened before 10.00 pm because they just may, in the case of Rene, have the children view them?

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I thank the Member for providing more information and I compliment your young resident for her piece of active citizenry. As a parent of young children myself, I feel very strongly that the guidelines, as I explained just now, would have to be adhered to. Unsuitable content and trailers should not be shown before 10.00 pm. We would be very happy to take up this particular case further and to investigate to see if, indeed, a breach of the guideline has occurred.

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