BROADCASTING SERVICES ACT [CHAPTER 12:06] (as at 11th January 2008) PART V CODES OF CONDUCT AND PROGRAMME STANDARDS 24 Development of codes of conduct (1) The Authority shall, in consultation with broadcasting licensees, develop codes of conduct governing— (a) the rules of conduct to be observed by broadcasting licensees; (b) the standards and practices to be observed in advertising through a broadcasting service, including the prohibition of certain methods and practices of advertising, the length of advertisements and times at which certain advertisements may not be aired or aired with restrictions. (2) …61 (3) ... (4) ... (5) In developing codes of conduct62, community attitudes to the following matters are to be taken into account⎯ (a) the portrayal in programmes of physical and psychological violence; (b) the portrayal in programmes of sexual conduct and nudity; (c) the use in programmes of offensive language, including hate speech; (d) the portrayal in programmes of the use of drugs, including alcohol; (e) the portrayal in programmes of matter that is likely to incite or perpetuate hatred against, or vilifies, any person or group on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, race, gender, natural difference or condition, age, religion or physical or mental disability; (f) the reasonable protection of an individual’s name and reputation; (g) such other matters relating to programme content as are of concern to the community. (6) If the Authority is satisfied in relation to any code of conduct that⎯ (a) the code provides appropriate community safeguards for the matters covered by the code; and (b) members of the public have been invited to comment on the code; the Authority shall recommend to the Minister that the code be published in the Gazette, and the code shall, from the date of its publication, be binding on all the broadcasting licensees concerned. (7) The Authority shall periodically conduct a review of any code of conduct developed, lodged or published in terms of this section to ensure that it is in accordance with prevailing community values and standards. (8) The Minister shall, on the advice of the Authority, prescribe a schedule of monetary and other penalties to be imposed by the Authority in respect of any breaches of a code of conduct by a licensee. 61 62 Subsections (2), (3) and (4) repealed by s. 16 of Act 19/2007. Introductory words amended by s. 16 of Act 19/2007(deletion of reference to repealed subsection (2)). - 23 -