Media Term Thursday #33

Censorship

When a government body or someone else not involved in a media production decides that some elements of the production must be changed or removed so it doesn’t offend a particular group’s values or break the law.

In Australia, The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) regulates television and radio while the Classification Board oversees films, DVDs, computer games and print media.

Self-censorship occurs during production when the selection process takes into account these external constraints.

Excerpt from Media Key Terms and Concepts. Continue the conversation on facebook and twitter.

Drama Term Tuesday #12

Censorship

Censorship of Drama

Censorship sets out to define, control and restrict individual or group freedom and access to ideas or expression.

In the long history of drama there has been strong recognition of its power to influence thought and to change action amongst audiences. As such a powerful force in society, drama has attracted the attention of many who wanted to control it, curb its influence or to use it for their own purposes. Censorship has been undertaken on the basis of religious belief, political ideology and propaganda, sexual or personal morality. Censorship can be undertaken by individuals, groups, governments or religious groups.

Self censorship is another common example of how individual playwrights and actors limit ideas or dramatic action.

Optimistically, wherever there has existed censorship, there has been ingenuity and resilience in drama which questioned or countered the deadening influence of censorship and ensured the power of drama continued to have an impact on society.

Excerpt from Drama Key Terms and Concepts