Page 1 of Simpsons - for kids or adults only - Sky say...

I lodged a complaint with the ASA a few months ago for an advert that was shown whilst watching the Simpsons on Sky 1 which scared my son a bit (I don`t normally do this sort of thing, so don`t think I was being arsey but it really did scare him).

Anyhoo, I got a letter from the ASA yesterday outlining the investigation they had done and discussions they had had with Sky and the advert owner.

One point that Sky raised was "The Simpsons is not aimed at children as it is an adult show, hence the showing of the advert between 7pm and 7:30pm is justified".

If it is not aimed at children, had somebody better tell Matt Groening and those who make a fortune on the merchandising?

Would you says it is for kids or adults only? Just interested to know :)

I wouldn`t say it is an adult show. Sure it has some jokes that only grown-ups will really understand but there is plenty for kids to be entertained by as well.

Do they think that children only watch TV before 7pm though?
I don`t see the reasoning there :/

Age old (well, fifteen or so years) argument this. On one hand I think the humour only really appeals to adults, but kids seem to enjoy the silly animated antics on a different level and Sky used to (don`t know if they do now) market the Dominos Pizza thing towards families, so saying it`s an `adults only` show seems a bit disingenuous (surely not?).

Do Sky explicitly state that they have an earlier watershed on that channel? They used on the movie channels, but not Sky One.

This item was edited on Saturday, 1st August 2009, 00:33

Quote:
I lodged a complaint with the ASA a few months ago for an advert that was shown whilst watching the Simpsons on Sky 1 which scared my son a bit (I don`t normally do this sort of thing, so don`t think I was being arsey but it really did scare him).

What was the specific advert? Was it any worse than Doctor Who, for example? I mention Doctor Who because much of the merchandising is aimed at very young children, even though the actual episodes are frequently rated Cert 12 by the BBFC.

I think the simpsons contains a lot of humour that only adults will get.

I suppose it depends on the age of your son, but that depends on the dispossition of your son and what scares him.

As Chris says, its an age old argument, and not just for the Simpsons, a lot of animated shows have adult humour that although isnt explicit makes the adult viewers laugh and goes `over the heads` of the kids watching. Most animated feature films have adult jokes/themes in them to keep the adults entertained in the cinema while being stuck in a cinema with a load of kids!

The Simpsons has a lot of content that Im sure is missed or not understood by younger viewers (A lot of the movie references for example) but its a cartoon and cartoons are for kids right? Theres always the argument that just because its animated dosent mean its for children, just the same as just because its a comic dosent mean its aimed at children, but kids will always want to watch it because its a cartoon weather its aimed at them or not. I do agree that if the Simpsons isnt a childrens show, the merchandising side of it contradicts this

just because its a cartoon doesn`t mean its child friendly- look at Family Guy.
There`s no way that`s aimed at kids. That`s why so many teenagers want to watch it. I know a 13 year old that has a Family Guy song as a ringtone. Its called "The Fellas At The Freakin` FCC"
Here`s the lyrics

Quote:
Peter: They will clean up all your talking in a menace such as this
Brian: They will make you take a tinkle when you want to take a p***
Stewie: And they`ll make you call fellatio a trouser-friendly kiss
Peter, Brian, & Stewie: It`s the plain situation!
There`s no negiotiation!
Peter: With the fellows at the freakin FCC!
Brian: They`re as stuffy as the stuffiest of the special interest groups...
Peter: Make a joke about your bowels and they order in the troops
Stewie: Any baby with a brain could tell them everybody poops!
Peter, Brian, & Stewie: Take a tip, take a lesson!
You`ll never win by messin`
Peter: With the fellas at the freakin` FCC
Peter: And if you find yourself with some you sexy thing
You`re gonna have to do her with your ding-a-ling
(Cuz you can`t say penis)
Peter: So they sent this little warning they`re prepared to do the worst
Brian: And they stuck it in your mailbox hoping you could be co-erced
Stewie: I can think of quite another place they should have stuck it first!
Peter, Brian, & Stewie: They may just be neurotic
Or possible psychotic
They`re the fellas at the freakin FCC!

He wets himself laughing at the 3rd line, "And they`ll make you call fellatio a trouser-friendly kiss" :)

As for The Simpson`s, that`s a tough call- I`d say it started out as being aimed at kids, with some jokes for adult viewers but as the same kids grew up, then maybe they wanted them to keep watching, also the writers have gotten older maybe their sence of humour has grown up a bit along the way.
Most of the merchandising I`ve seen for The Simpson`s seems to be aimed at kids, but not all of it. Homer Simpson ties, cufflinks & the beer bottle opener spring to mind.....

This item was edited on Saturday, 1st August 2009, 16:03

The DVDs of The Simpsons are always rated 12, and I believe that 7pm is the earliest an uncut cert 12 programme can be aired, so I guess the adverts should also be considered 12+. FWIW, I have never allowe dmy kids to watch Eastenders, which is on after 7 - I know it isn`t rated 15, but the content is way too old for them. So it still comes down to parental discretion as to whether something is suitable or not for their child(ren).

However, I have noticed at the cinema as well that frequently some very unsuitable trailers and adverts are shown, say, before movies with a 12A rating. I really think a bit more thought should be given to the content of anything shown at a 12A movie sitting, considering that children of any age can be sitting in the audience.

Family Guy is cert 15, and is therefore shown after 9pm. I have never allowed my kids to watch Family Guy, which is a pain because I know they`d love a lot of the humour in Blue Harvest, but they are just not ready for the sex talk.

Actually Sky One used to show Family Guy before 9, when they had it years ago. Futurama was on a Tuesday night at 8, FG 8:30, or it may have been the other way round.

it was possibly edited, but I remember them showing the Peter breast feeding scene, because after it finished my gf phoned up to ask if I had seen it :)

Also, didn`t Sky recently show an episode after 9:00 advertising is a being too rude to show earlier?

It`s a bit strange as I`ve noticed a few we`ve seen recently Homer tries to kill Abe. But it`s not done in the funny Homer strangling Bart way, it was more a murder by suffocation with a pillow way!

Quote:
One point that Sky raised was "The Simpsons is not aimed at children as it is an adult show, hence the showing of the advert between 7pm and 7:30pm is justified".


that`s interesting, so does that mean a DIY show can have adverts inappropriate for children. I assumed time of day was the deciding factor for adverts/problem content.

A mate of mine`s Son is 13, I was surprised when they were round our house, he (the son) was looking through our DVD and started a family guy conversation! i think his dad lets him watch it, but I remember when he was even younger, his dad wouldn`t let him watch South Park, but his mum would! (parents are separated).

We don`t have kids, but I would have thought 13 was too young for South Park or Family Guy.

This item was edited on Saturday, 1st August 2009, 19:43

this

This item was edited on Sunday, 2nd August 2009, 09:34