What's the difference between the BBC stations??

I am not from the British Isles so only occasionally do I get to see programming from there. I just started watching Doctor Who and by extension I started today watching Torchwood. I was immediately startled to find not only was there swearing (a certain F word was used) in the show (something I am not used to hearing on a major network) but there was realistic an rather graphic depiction of blood...on Television. I know the broadcast rules of Britain and Europe differ from North America but it got me wondering what the difference between BBC1 and BBC3 is (I assume there is also a BBC2)? My guess is BBC3 contains the more mature content, but I really don't know.

 

BBC1 and BBC2 are channels that everyone can get with normal TVs and equipment. BBC3, BBC4 and other BBC channels are only available if you either have a digital TV or a digital TV decoder.

 

The above is true.

BBC THREE is aimed at a younger, 'hipper', audience. BBC ONE is the main channel, with the BBC's flagship output - less risky. Swearing is nothing unusual on BBC ONE and BBC TWO post watershed, and more graphic stuff does appear on TWO and THREE. We have a watershed time of 9pm, after which more mature (content and thematically) shows get broadcast.

BBC FOUR is the high brow BBC channel.

 

Yet for some reason, you guys still have that pesky "No headbutting allowed" rule.

 

//takes notes

 

I'm not sure if that applies to television. It might, but I don't know that it does.

But I was really gutted when I didn't see Taun We headbutt San Hill.

 

I like whatever channel had the "Grumpy Old Men" program. BBC Two?

 

Yes, TWO.

BBC TWO is the channel that first broadcast Little Britain (although its genesis was in Radio).

 

Unlike in America, we don't say "think of the children!!1!!" at everything. We even have *z0mg* nudity on TV. Amazing, isn't it?

Oh, not to mention the Victorian Lesbian drama the BBC showed featuring wooden sex toys

 

Actually, you're semi-mistaken, and semi-correct. I'm guessing you are referring to the infamous Jango headbutt incident which was removed from British theatrical, and DVD/VHS releases of Attack of the Clones.

The above is true to a certain degree...or at least it once was; The BBFC have relaxed over the last few years. The BBFC - The British Board of Film Classification views all form of theatrical and home entertainment, so that includes anything coming up for release in British theatres, including trailers, VHS distribution, DVD distribution, including their supplimentry extras DVD.

If they feel that material may be deem inappropriate for the age-range the producers were intending to release said film to, the BBFC can make the filmmakers remove the material in order to retain the specific rating. In the case of AotC, they felt that Jango wearing a metal helmet headbutting a person without proper protection from such a blow could be harmful to children who watch the film, and children, being the impressionable people they are, will try to replicate such an incident in the playground.

Or in the BBFC's own words:

When submitted to the BBFC the work had a running time of 142m 6s.
The running time of this film was calculated from the measured length of 12787+12 ( feet + frames ).

To obtain this category cuts of 0m 1s were required. The cuts were Cuts for Category.
Company chose to cut sight of a head butt to achieve a "PG". A "12" uncut was available to the distributor.

Same with The Matrix, over here. On it's first release in both theatres, and on DVD, all of the headbutts were removed from the film - 10 seconds in total were removed...Also with Fight Club. Even though Fight Club was rated 18 here, meaning only people over the age of 18 could go into a cinema to watch the film, or purchase the film on DVD, they still cut down the "Angel Beating" sequence, because they deemed it was glamourising violence, so several shots were cut from the sequence.

When I was at University studying Film Production, we had some "guest speakers", whom I proceded to tear them a new ******** concerning the cutting of films...Needless to say, it was quite heated...I think I swore at them a couple of times, much to the "disgust" of my professors as she said to me afterwards. Needless to say, shortly after, their policies were relaxed somewhat...I'd like to think I had a hand in it, but I'm sure there weren't...But it's the version I have in my head, so I'm sticking with it! lol

As for television, that is ruled by another governing body; the name of which escapes me at this moment in time, but as I believe, they are independent of the BBFC, and the BBFC have no ruling over them. In fact, I was told last night, that on the Sky Movies channels, which the Star Wars saga have been recently playing, the shot of Jango headbutting Obi-Wan is actually in the film.

In either case, I'm ardently against film censorship, and I choose to import my DVD's from the USA uncut, as I feel that it is MY CHOICE of what I want want to see...not what some "Big Brother" styled organisation allows me to see.

 

Headbutts are that evil?

 

Apprently...But think of the children!...or something.

 

Denmark has no censoring what so ever of any media, only a few cabel and satelitte channels that are broadcasted from another country are censored by the local goverments. The local channel here in Copenhagn broadcasts hardcore porn from midnight till 5am

Hell, there used to be a childrens show that had the song called "Guess a ****", in which theý sang about the different kinds of animal poo you'd see in the forest.

To moths ago the front page of one of the largest news papers in the country had headline that said "**** YOU!!!" and the a picture of a hand flipping the birdie.

 

Better yet...teach the children to think for themselves.