TV Industry Weakening The 9pm Watershed?

David Cameron has threatened curbs on sexualisation of childhood as a review calls on parents to hold media to account. Programmers are actively working against parents by effectively abolishing the TV watershed, the Bailey review into the sexualisation and commercialisation of childhood has found.

The strength of the condemnation will put pressure on the culture minister Ed Vaizey to ask Ofcom, the industry regulator, to reinstate a tighter definition of the 9pm watershed. The review calls on parents to redouble efforts to hold the relevant industries to account, saying there is a disconnect between the degree of concern among the public and the disregard of many businesses over the issues.

Cameron hailed the report as "a giant step forward for protecting childhood and making Britain more family friendly". He has given the media and retail industry 18 months to show demonstrable progress – or he will consider regulation. He will also host a summit in October in Downing Street to monitor the progress made since publication of the report.


Various industry bodies rushed out new codes, including the British Retail Consortium, or said they will be setting up expert advisory panels, such as the Advertising Association.

The BRC said George, Next, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's and Tesco are among the firms that have signed a code, which promises "fabrics and cuts should provide for modesty", and "slogans and imagery must be age appropriate and without undesirable associations or connections … suggestive, demeaning, derogative or political material".

Cameron is aware that the report, published on Monday, largely focuses on stronger voluntary self-regulation by the music, retail, magazine, television and advertising industries.

The review conducted by Reg Bailey, the chief executive of the Mothers' Union, finds "broadcasters are at times actively working against parents. Some parents have expressed a good degree of disappointment that the traditionally trusted control of the television 'watershed' appears to be less strictly observed than in the past. Some parents even questioned whether the watershed still exists."

Bailey reported "many broadcasters regarded the watershed as relevant for primary school age children and that once children are old enough to be able to choose the programmes they watch, then they are also mature enough to enjoy stronger content in the later part of the pre-watershed period".

Bailey argued "Parents do not accept that if a variety show features a pop musician with a reputation for delivering highly sexualised performances that the broadcaster has a licence to sail as close to the edge of compliance as possible.

"The onus is on the broadcaster to show acceptable content in the first place, not to react to the audience complaints after the event."

Cameron highlighted the plan for a single, user-friendly website that "sets out simply and clearly what parents can do if they feel a programme, advertisement, product or service is inappropriate for their children". He said it would be easy to implement.

Bailey warned: "Society has become increasingly full of sexualised imagery. This has created a wallpaper to children's lives. Parents feel there is no escape and no clear space where children can be children. I want to put the power back in parents' hands so they can better manage the pressures on their children and make it easier for them to bring up their children the way they want."

An Ofcom spokesman said: "Protection of children is one of Ofcom's most important statutory duties and we therefore welcome Reg Bailey's review of this significant area.

"The watershed works and we rigourously enforce it. As suggested by the review, we will continue to focus on exploring parents' views in our enforcement of broadcasting standards relating to the protection of children".