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Television content rating systems are a method of giving television viewers an idea of the suitability of a television program for children and/or adults. Many countries have their own television rating system, and each country's rating process may differ due to local priorities. Programs are rated by either the organization that manages the system, the broadcaster, or by the content producers themselves.

A rating is usually set for each individual episode of a television series. The rating can change per episode, network, rerun and per country. As such it's impossible to state what kind of rating a program has, without stating when and where this rating applied.

Argentina

In Argentina, television ratings are the same as those used by the local film bureau. Nevertheless, the rating is not of compulsory use on TV. The ratings are as follows:

• ATP (Apto para todo público): This programme is for all audiences. The shows with this classification can contain mild violence, language and mature situations. Examples of shows with this rating: Friends, The Nanny, Rugrats.
• Apto para mayores de 13 años: This programme is for ages 13 and up. Can contain moderate violence, sex and mature situations. Examples of shows with this rating: Smallville, The O.C.
• Apto para mayores de 15 años: This programme is for ages 15 and up. Can contain strong violence, sex and coarse language.
• Apto para mayores de 18 años: This programme is exclusively for adult people. Most shows with this rating are erotic shows and movies.

Worldwide

Only BBC Virgin channels (except BBC Box Office) and Sarno Television are allowed to use this rating system.

• P (Preschool) This rating was used for children under 4 years old. The symbol is the word Preschool.
• C (Children) This rating was used for children from 4 years old to 87 years old. The symbol is a green circle with the word C.
• G (General) This rating is used for everyone 4 years old and up. The symbol is a face (without eyes, nose and mouth) with the word G. All news programmes are rated under a symbol similar to this one except it says N (News).
• PG (Parent Guardience) This rating is for everyone, but for people under 18, they must ask a grown up to watch that movie. The symbol is a purple circle with the word PG with in neon.
• 10 (Teenagers) This rating is for preteens and teens. The symbol is a soccer ball and it says 10+.
• A (Adults) This rating is used for adults. Most shows with this rating are erotic shows and movies. The symbol is a red triangle with the word A.
• E (Elders) This rating is used for elders. It is the same as above but they are edited. The symbol is a white triangle with word, E.
• N (News) Similar to G, it was used for all news programmes.

Australia

For details on the video and DVD classification system in Australia, see Censorship in Australia.

Commercial television stations in Australia are required to comply with the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice, which is governed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

The following classification codes apply:

Child-specific ratings

These time zones are further governed by the Children's Television Standards 2005, over and above the commercial Code of Practice. Both are similar to the G classification below in terms of allowable content, but are specifically targeted at children, whereas G specifies programming content that is suitable for all audiences, but may not necessarily be of interest to children.

P rated programming content is intended for pre-schoolers. Commercial stations must show at least 30 minutes of P-rated content each weekday between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. No advertisements may be shown during P-rated programs.

C rated programming content is intended for children. Commercial stations must show at least 30 minutes of C-rated content each weekday between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. or between 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.. A further 2.5 hours a week must also be shown either within these time bands or between 7 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on weekends and school holidays, for a total of 5 hours a week (averaged as 260 hours over the course of a year). C-rated content is subject to certain restrictions and limitations on advertising (typically five minutes maximum per 30-minute period, or seven minutes including promotions and community announcements).

Standard ratings

With the exception of the AV15+ rating, which is only used by the commercial TV networks, the ratings are intended to be equivalent to the OFLC classifications of the same name. They are usually presented with the same shape and sometimes colour as their OFLC counterparts.

• G - Suitable for all audiences.
• PG - Parental guidance is recommended for young viewers. PG content can only be broadcast between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and between 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. on weekdays, and between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on weekends.
• M - Recommended for mature audiences. M content can only be broadcast between 8:30 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. on any day, and additionally between 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on school days.
• MA15+ - Not suitable for people under 15. MA15+ content can only be broadcast between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. on any day. Consumer advice is mandatory.
• AV15+ - Not suitable for people under 15 (adult violence). This is similar to the MA15+ rating, however it is used specifically to differentiate violent programming from that receiving an MA15+ rating for other reasons (such as adult themes, sexual content, coarse language and the like). In all other respects, the content cannot exceed the guidelines for MA15+. AV15+ content can only be broadcast between 9:30 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. on any day (though there has been one exception, Saving Private Ryan which aired at 8:30 p.m. with an additional warning). Consumer advice is mandatory.

The two government-owned TV networks, ABC and SBS, are not bound by the same regulations as their commercial counterparts, and are instead each bound by their own Codes of Practice . The guidelines provided by these Codes are similar but not identical to the Codes of Practice for commercial stations. For example, SBS refers to the rating MAV15+ instead of AV15+ , while ABC does not use the AV/MAV rating at all; instead programs rated MA15+ must not start before 9:30 p.m., instead of 9:00 p.m., and does not use the G rating either but does not give suitable for all audiences programming classifications at all.

Pay television networks are also bound by a different Code to the free-to-air networks. In general, all content on pay TV must still be given one of the above ratings; however, there are not usually restrictions on the time of day any particular programming can be broadcast. There is an R18+ rating for pay TV, but its use is strictly limited to special interest channels.

Consumer advice

Consumer advice is compulsory for all MA15+ and AV15+ programs, and one-off programs and very short series classified M or higher (such as feature films, miniseries and documentaries). A consumer advice warning is optional for PG material that is broadcast between 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on weekends if the broadcaster believes the material is of an intensity that parents of young children may not expect.

Consumer advice takes the form of a full-screen written and verbal announcement at the start of the program announcing the classification as well as listing the type and strength of any mature content. Examples include "frequent coarse language", "a sex scene", "strong violence", "adult themes" and the like. In addition, where a program carries consumer advice, appropriate abbreviations are displayed along with the classification symbol after each commercial break. They also usually appear in programming guides, usually in lowercase to distinguish from primary classifications. In general, these abbreviations are as follows:

• A for adult themes
• V for violence
• L for coarse language
• S for sexual references and/or sex scenes
• H for horror or supernatural themes
• D for drug references and/or drug use
• N for nudity

Sometimes, more specific consumer advice is issued, such as:

• SN for supernatural themes
• M for medical procedures
• W for war themes or footage
• B for colourful behaviour

In other cases, a network may include more specific advice at the start of a program, but then substitute one of the more widespread categories when using the abbreviated form. Others may not use the above examples at all and simply list the content as violence, adult themes, etc.

Brazil

The latest version of the Brazilian Informative Classification system was made official on television in mid-2007, although it was already used on motion pictures, video games, and some television networks since 2006. Since then, the television networks themselves rate the shows, while the DJCTQ, the Department of Justice, Classification, Titles and Qualification (Departamento de Justiça, Classificação, Títulos e Qualificação in Portuguese), also known as Dejus, acts as a judge, to guarantee that the rating is appropriate for that specific show.

The Brazilian system:

•  ER  Especialmente Recomendado para Crianças e Adolescentes (Especially Recommended for Children and Adolescents)
•  L  Livre para Todos os Públicos (General Audiences)
•  10  Não Recomendando para Menores de 10 Anos (Not Recommended for Viewers Under 10 Years of Age)
•  12  Não Recomendado para Menores de 12 Anos (Not Recommended for Viewers Under 12 Years of Age)
•  14  Não Recomendado para Menores de 14 Anos (Not Recommended for Viewers Under 14 Years of Age)
•  16  Não Recomendado para Menores de 16 Anos (Not Recommended for Viewers Under 16 Years of Age)
•  18  Não Recomendado para Menores de 18 Anos (Not Recommended for Viewers Under 18 Years of Age)

On broacast networks, where the system is mandatory, the ratings are also translated in LIBRAS - Língua Brasileira de Sinais (Brazilian Sign Language), and may also carry content descriptors. The icons must be shown at the start of each block of the show, and their respective promos. Each network uses the system differently:

• Globo shows the ratings before each show, and uses content descriptors only for 16- and 18-rated shows.
• SBT shows the ratings at the start of each show, doesn't use sign language translation for L-rated programming, and uses content descriptors only for 16- and 18-rated shows.
• Record and sister network Record News show the ratings at the start of each show.
• RedeTV! shows the ratings at the start of each show, and uses content descriptors for all programming rated 10 or higher.
• Band, sister network Play TV and MTV show the ratings before each show, and don't use content descriptors.

On cable networks, the system is voluntary, and also used diffrently for each network:

• Warner Channel, the first cable channel to use the system, shows the icons at the start, and halfway through each show.
• The History Channel shows the ratings before each show, before, and after every commercial break.
• Disney-owned Disney Channel and Jetix, and Viacom-owned Nickelodeon and VH1 show the ratings at the start of each show, and each block.
• Sony-owned Sony Entertainment Television, AXN and Animax show the ratings, with content descriptors, before each show, and before the 3rd block of that show.
• FOX and sister networks FX and FOX Life show the ratings, with content descriptors, at the start, and the icons halfway though each show.

Canada

The Canadian TV Classification System was created for English-language programmers to use in conjunction with the V-chip. The upper-right corner of the Canadian age rating symbols are shaped like the corner of a maple leaf, like their national flag. The rating is intended to be shown once an hour, although in the case of longer programs that do not start on the hour, some broadcasters show the rating at the start and at the top of each subsequent clock hour, while others show the rating at the start and again precisely one hour later.

Additionally, should a program contain content potentially unsuitable for some viewers, such as violence, coarse language, or nudity, the broadcaster is obliged to air a disclaimer at the beginning of the program and at the end of each commercial break, advising viewer discretion (such disclaimers are only required for the first hour if airing after 9:00 p.m.). This disclaimer is technically required even if the final commercial break comes immediately before the closing credits, and some (but not all) channels in fact observe this.

Canadian ratings

• C: Programming suitable for children under the age of 8 years. No profanity or sexual content of any level allowed. Minimal comedic violence. Similar to TV-Y.
• C8: Suitable for children ages 8 and over. Low intensity violence and fantasy horror allowed. No foul language but occasional "socially offensive and discriminatory" language allowed if in the context of the story. No sex or nudity. Similar to TV-Y7.
• G: General. Similar to the Canadian/American movie rating of the same name; programming suitable for the entire family with minimal violence, and no profanity or sexual content. Similar to TV-G.
• PG: Parental guidance. Again, similar to the movie rating of the same name. Moderate use of violence and mild profanity allowed, as is brief nudity and sexual references if important to a storyline. Similar to TV-PG.
• 14+: Programming intended for children ages 14 and over. May contain intense scenes of violence, strong profanity, and depictions of sexual activity within the context of a story. Similar to TV-14.
• 18+: Programming intended for viewers ages 18 and over. May contain strong violence, language, and sexual activity. Similar to TV-MA and NR-Adult.

An E (no rating will appear on screen) is given to most news and sports programs, documentaries, talk shows, music videos and variety programming because they are exempt programs. Similar to NR.

Quebec ratings

French-language broadcasters use the Quebec film ratings system.

•  G  (General) appropriate for all ages with little or no violence and little to no sexual content.
•  8+  appropriate for children 8 and up which may contain little violence, some foul language and/or little to no sexual content.
•  13+  appropriate for children 13 and up with moderate violence, language, and some sexual situations. Persons under 13 should be accompanied by an adult.
•  16+  appropriate for children 16 and up with strong violence, strong language, and strong sexual content.
•  18+  only to be viewed by adults and contains extreme violence and graphic sexual content/pornography.

An E (no rating will appear on screen) is given to exempt programming, in the same classes used for English Canadian programming above.

France

French Television Ratings, as advised by Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA) :

• File:Cat2france.png (Not recommended for children under 10) : This image is shown at the beginning of the program and after every break. It is translucent. It disappears after a few minutes.
• File:Cat3france.png (Not recommended for children under 12) : This image is shown at the beginning of the program and after every break. It is translucent. The round "-12" logo is shown for the whole duration of the show.
• File:Cat4france.png (Not recommended for children under 16) : This image is shown at the beginning of the program and after every break. It is translucent. The round "-16" logo is shown for the whole duration of the show.
• File:Cat5france.png (Not recommended for children under 18) : This image is shown at the beginning of the program and after every break. It is translucent. The round "-18" logo is shown for the whole duration of the show.

Hungary

The Hungarian television rating system has changed a lot during the last few years. The rating of the aired shows often causes problems because the radio and television authority is quite strict about appropriate rating categories for programmes. If a show is not marked with the television authority's choice of rating symbol, the airing channel often has to pay a large penalty to the authority.

Before the year 2002 the Hungarian television rating system was pretty simple. Channels could range their programmes into 3 categories:

• Unrated - these programmes could be viewed by anyone without any counterpropoposal
• Not recommended for children under the age of 14 - Films displaying light violence or with explicit dialogues were ranked into this category. The symbol of the age limit was a blue triangle.
• Not recommended for children under the age of 18 - Films displaying violence or sexual content were ranked into this one. The symbol of the category was a filled red circle.

Rating programmes and displaying onscreen symbols was not strictly compulsory for the channels; eventually the television authority found this system inappropriate.

In 2002 a new rating system was created. Ranking programmes and displaying the rating symbols became compulsory on every Hungarian television channel. The new rating system caused problems because the channels were required to display the ranking symbols in every single second of their programmes. The symbols were distracting, and vieweres feared that their constant presence could damage the television machine. Because of the complaints, the television authority allowed channels to choose to show the rating symbols on the left or on the right side of the screen. Later, channels were also allowed to increase the transparency of the symbols.

In the current system there are 4 rating categories.

• Unrated - the programme can be viewed by any age.
• 12 - parental guidance is recommended for children below the age of 12. Mostly shows with light sexual content or explicit language use are marked with this. Most films without serious violence or sexual content fit into this category also.

Symbol: Yellow circle with "12" written inside.

• 16 - the programme is not recommended for children below the age of 16. Films displaying violence and obvious sexual content are marked with a thicker yellow circle with "16" written inside.
• 18 - the programme is recommended only for viewers above the age of 18 (age of becoming adult according to Hungarian laws). Films displaying particular violence and unvarnished sexual content are marked with a red circle with "18" written inside.

Ireland

In Ireland, RTÉ displays a banner in the top left-hand corner of the screen during the opening screen of a programme. The banner will display either -

• GA (General Audience/Lucht Féachana Ginearálta) - a programme that would be acceptable to all ages and tastes. Examples are Ardán and Neighbours.
• Ch (Children/Páistí) - a programme aimed specifically at children ages 5-10. May contain mild cartoon or fantasy violence. Examples are Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends and Spongebob Squarepants.
• YA (Young Adult/Ógra) - a programme aimed at an adolescent audience. That is to say it would not be of great interest to an adult. However, it might deal with issues which affect the teenage and late preteen audience, e.g. relationships, sexual activity, sexuality, soft drugs. Parents and guardians could expect that "YA" programmes might contain such material and may choose to limit their children's access. Examples are One Tree Hill and Falcon Beach.
• PS (Parental Supervision/Treoir Tuismitheora) - a programme aimed at a mature audience (i.e. It might deal with adult themes, be moderately violent, frightening or contain an occasional swear word.) and the classification label invites parents or guardians to consider restricting children's access. Examples are The Simpsons and Law & Order.
• MA (Mature Audience Only/Lucht Féachana Lánfhásta Amháin) - a typical "post-watershed" program which might contain scenes of strong sexual activity and heavy violence, or the dialogue might be profane. Examples are Entourage, OZ, and Carnivale.

This only applies to the RTÉ channels (RTÉ One, RTÉ Two & TG4). Other television channels would usually make a verbal announcement of what a show contains beforehand.

Italy

(NOTE: Only Mediaset and La7 make use of the television rating system, even if only movies are rated, while the public broadcasting RAI networks don't)

Green Light: all audiences allowed (similar to USA's TV-G; notably, some R-rated movies come under this TV rating, such as, all Beverly Hills Cop movies. In addition, most TV movies produced by Mediaset itself go under this rating, even if they'd normally receive a yellow light, because of violence and/or sexual material)

Yellow Light: children allowed, but parental guidance is strongly advised (similar to TV-PG; Most R-rated movies go under this rating, as well as Mediaset own TV movies with strong content)

Red Light: Only adult audiences suggested (Similar to TV-14, TV-MA; Many R-rated movie with very strong content come under this rating, as well as many TV serials, e.g. Nip/Tuck, The Shield, CSI; even some PG-13 rated movies go under this rating: What Lies Beneath and The Sixth Sense are notable examples)

Red Light with a VM14 notification: no one under 14 should watch the movie (this rating sounds less strict than the previous one, even if movies under this rating contain extreme violence, explicit sex and/or excessive strong language. Movies with an Italian VM14 cinema rating, meaning nobody under 14 are allowed, always come with this TV rating and cannot be broadcast before 10:30 PM in their uncensored form. If they are censored to the point they would earn a T cinema rating, they can be broadcast as with a simple Red Light rating). There are some exceptions: Peter Jackson's The Frighteners, which received a cinema VM14 rating, was broadcast with a Yellow Light (even if later it had the VM14 notification. Then, while movies with violence and strong language are broadcast with the Green Light, a 1960s film, originally VM14-rated because the word "condom" was mentioned (refer to Pasolini's masterwork Uccellacci Uccellini), still retained the same original rating forty years later.

As a side note, VM18-rated movies (nobody under 18 allowed) cannot be broadcast on public televisions unless they are censored T-rated or VM14-rated versions. We have some exceptions again, though: Mondo Cane, Mondo Cane 2 and La grande bouffe were aired with a simple Red Light rating, even if they were originally rated VM18 (and they still are, in the case of La Grande Bouffe).

The same ratings are used for La7 channel too, even if they are even less strict than those in Mediaset: virtually every R-rated movie goes under the Yellow Light rating (films with strong violence and horror content such as Event Horizon and Army of Darkness were aired with that rating). Red Light is commonly used only for VM14-rated movies (or serials contain strong/extreme sexual and/or violence content, like Sex in the City)

Malaysia

The Classifications for Television Viewing is currently used in Malaysia. All television stations in the country (except on satellite television) are permitted to show the ratings at the beginning of a show (with the exception of news programs). It is optional to show the rating after commercials. Newspapers published in Malaysia are also required to preview television ratings (Some newspapers classify all programs as U unless stated). The ratings used are as follows:

• U - General viewing for all ages (similar to the United Kingdom)
• 18-SG - For viewers aged 18 and above with non-excessive violent scenes.
• 18-SX - For viewers aged 18 and above with non-excessive sex scenes.
• 18-PA - For viewers aged 18 and above with political/religious/counter-culture elements.
• 18-PL - For viewers aged 18 and above with a combination of two or more elements. (example: A program with excessive sex-scenes and excessive violence will be classified as 18-PL).

Maldives

National Bureau of Classification (NBC) manages the classification system in the Maldives. Cable TV and TV station programs use similar classification ratings. Cable operators have to first obtain a classification grading from NBC before a channel can be authorized. TV programs are permitted to exhibit the ratings at the beginning of each program (news is exceptional). It is optional to exhibit the rating after commercials. NBC will regulate through broadcasters and cable operators to preview classification ratings in their program guides and through print media and educate the public. The ratings used are as follows:

• G - General viewing for all ages.
• 15+ - For viewers aged 15 and above.
• 18+ - For viewers aged 18 and above.
• 18+R - For viewers aged 18 and above, (will contain violence, exposure, drug use, abusive language)

Mexico

The Mexican TV ratings are similar to the Mexican movie ratings. The only difference is that there is no B-15 rating for the TV rating system. The ratings are as followed:

• AA: appropriate and designed for children under 7. No sex or nudity , violence, or language of any level is allowed.
• A: appropriate for all ages with little to no sex and little to no violent content. Some examples include Rugrats.
• B: Designed for ages 12 and up which may contain some sexual situations, mild violence, and mild language.
• B-15: Designed for ages 15 and up. The content is a tad more explicit than the B rating. There are sexual innuendo and sexual situations, violence allowing some blood and gore, and coarse language.
• C: designed to be viewed only by adults 18 or older and may contain strong, scary violence, strong language and/or explicit sexual material.
• D: designed to be viewed only by "open minded" adults, as it most certainly contains strong, scary violence, strong language and/or explicit sexual material.

Reportedly, only one channel in Mexico explicitly shows the classification on each program, XEIMT-TV in Mexico City.

Netherlands

The Netherlands have a project called Kijkwijzer (ViewingGuide or WatchWiser) introduced in 2001 by the Dutch Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media (NICAM). Kijkwijzer advises parents through graphic icons about almost all TV programs, movies and DVDs in the Netherlands. Recently their advice has begun expanding into gaming and the Internet. The icons are shown in TV guides, on movie posters, at the start of movies in theatre, and in the top left corner when a TV program starts.

When content is rated 12, this does not mean you are not allowed to see it while under the age of 12. It simply means that the parent should be aware that not all children under 12 might be able to cope with the particular content. It is up to the parent to decide if their child is mature enough to watch it. The only exception to this is that cinemas have to decline people under the age of 16 who want to go to 16 rated movies and shops are not allowed to sell content rated 16 to people under the age of 16.

What is special about these ratings is that there is no official written alternative for icons. Also short animated versions of the icons which even feature short audio samples are often used in commercials and the internet. A rating for 9 years and older is already in usage, but is not yet official.

The following icons are in use for age rating:

• File:Dutch rating AL.jpg All Ages (Alle leeftijden)
• File:Dutch rating 6.jpg Parental advisory for children under 6 (Let op met kinderen tot 6 jaar)
• File:Dutch rating 12.jpg Parental advisory for children under 12 (Let op met kinderen tot 12 jaar)
• File:Dutch rating 16.jpg Parental advisory for children under 16 (Let op met kinderen tot 16 jaar)

Moreover, additional icons show why a movie, television show, or game has been given a specific rating:

• File:Dutch rating violence.jpg Violence (Geweld)
• File:Dutch rating scary.jpg Scary (Angst)
• File:Dutch rating sex.jpg Sex (Seks)
• File:Dutch rating discrimination.jpg Discrimination (Discriminatie)
• File:Dutch rating drugs.jpg Drug and Alcohol abuse (Drugs- en alcoholmisbruik)
• File:Dutch rating language.jpg Bad Language (Grof taalgebruik)

New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand's rating systems differ only slightly from other rating systems. New Zealand's are based on Australia's previous system which was used before 1995.

G (General Programmes): These exclude material likely to harm children under 14 and can screen at any time. Programmes may not necessarily be designed for younger viewers, but must not contain material likely to cause them undue distress or discomfort. G-rated programmes can screen at any time. Examples of G rated programmes include Spongebob Squarepants, Neighbours, Home And Away and Everybody Loves Raymond.

PGR (Parental Guidance Recommended): Programmes more suited to more mature viewers. These are not necessarily unsuitable for children, but viewer discretion is advised, and parents and guardians are encouraged to supervise younger viewers. Programmes rated PGR can screen between 9am - 4pm and between 7pm - 6am. Examples of PGR rated programmes include Family Guy,The Simpsons , LOST, Shortland Street and Fear Factor.

AO (Adults Only): AO programmes contain material of an adult nature handled in such a way that it is unsuitable for children. Such programmes are directed primarily at a mature audience and can screen between noon and 3pm on a school day (except during school and public holidays as designated by the Ministry of Education), and between 8:30pm - 5:00am. A special sub-class of this rating, denoted AO 9:30 p.m. or later, is reserved for programmes with a "greater degree of sexual activity, potentially offensive language, realistic violence, sexual violence, or horrific encounters" and are considered unsuitable for viewing before that time. . Examples of AO rated programmes include CSI, Ghost Whisperer, and Green Wing.

The rating for each program is shown at the start and after each commercial break. Some PGR programmes and most AO programmes have an advisory before the program begins to advise of any specific content that could offend viewers such as language, nudity, sex and violence.

Peru

The ratings for television programs are available on all Peruvian channels. The rating system used in Peru is listed below.

There is a slight variation in the television ratings of programs on broadcast on América Televisión, which is the only television channel in Peru to have its own rating system.

Philippines

In the Philippines, there are only two television ratings; General Patronage and Parental Guidance. A static Parental Guidance digital on-screen graphic appears during the duration of the program if it was rated as such. Live news programs usually do not carry the graphic, with the exception of entertainment news programs. All programs shown on Philippine free-to-air television channels are reviewed by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board. The board may suspend or cancel programs, but not revoke broadcast franchises.

Poland

Until August 2005, Poland's television ratings system consisted of three icons:

• green circle with circle in center (for all ages)
• yellow circle with triangle in center (parental discretion advised)
• red circle with square in center (adults only)

The current Polish television rating system, instituted in August 2005, consists of five icons:

• green circle (for all ages): nothing objectionable; e.g. Teletubbies
• yellow triangle with number '7' in center (suitable for children over the age of 7): may contain mild bad language, bloodless violence; e.g. Chicken Run
• yellow triangle with number '12' in center (suitable for children over the age of 12): some bad language, some violence, some sexual content; i.e. Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Mission: Impossible, Kiler, The Nutty Professor, 6teen
• yellow triangle with number '16' in center (suitable for children over the age of 16): bad language, considerable amount of violence, more sexual content; e.g. A Man Apart, Mutant Aliens, Elfen Lied
• red circle (adults only): excessive violence, explicit sexual content; e.g. Blue Velvet, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Ett hål i mitt hjärta

Icons are seen continuously during movies and TV programs (except commercials). Informative programs, sports and commercials are exempt from classification.

Portugal

The Portuguese TV ratings were many times refused by the audience; however the TV networks RTP, TVI & SIC decided to set boundaries for the shows. This type of ratings has been only applied since 2006.

Here is the ratings system:

• File:Todos.jpg - Todos (suitable for all)
• - 10, Aconselhamento Parental (may not be suitable for children under 10, parental guidance is suggested)
• File:12ap.jpg - 12, Aconselhamento Parental (may not be suitable for children under 12, parental guidance is suggested)
• File:16anos.jpg - 16 (may not be suitable for children under 16)

The logos must be shown at the beginning of any program and after every break, disappearing after one minute.

There's also an additional logo that has been used for years. It has the same use of the 16 rating but must be shown for the whole duration of the show and applies also to the broadcast of movies rated 18 by the Portuguese Board of Film Classification:

• File:Bola vermelha.gif - Program contains disturbing material.

Romania

Romanian rating system.

• AP: Recomandat acordul părinţilor (Recommended according to the parents)
• 12: Interzis copiilor sub 12 ani (Not recommended for children under 12 years of age)
• 15: Interzis minorilor sub 15 ani (Not recommended for children under 15 years of age)
• 16: Interzis minorilor sub 16 ani (Not recommended for children under 16 years of age)
• 18: Interzis minorilor sub 18 ani (Not recommended for children under 18 years of age)

South Africa

South African ratings are issued and certified by the Film and Publication Board, whilst the National Broadcasting Commission regulates the various films and programmes. All television stations, cinemas and distributors of DVD, video and computer games must display the following signage:

• Family - This is a program/film that does not contain any obscenity, and is suitable for family viewing. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for 30 seconds after each commercial break.

• PG - Children under the age of 12 may watch this program/film, but must be accompanied by an adult. This program contains an adult related theme, which might include very mild language, violence and sexual innuendo. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for 1 minute after each commercial break.

• 13 - Children under the age of 13 are prohibited from watching this program/film. This program contains mild language, violence and sexual innuendo. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for 2 minutes after each commercial break.

• 16 - Children under the age of 16 are prohibited from watching this program/film. It contains moderate violence, language, and some sexual situations. In the case of television, this programme may only be broadcast after 9pm - 4.30am. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for 5 minutes after each commercial break. A full screen warning must be issued before the start of the program. If the program is longer than an hour, a warning must be displayed every half an hour.

• 18 - Children under the age of 18 are prohibited from watching this program/film. It contains extreme violence, language and/or graphic sexual content. In the case of television, this programme may only be broadcast from 10pm - 4.30am. A logo must be displayed in the corner of the screen for the duration of the program. A full screen warning must be issued before the start of the program and after each commercial break.

(The 18 rating does not refer to adult, child or animal pornography - as this is banned from television and cinema by the Film and Publication Board)

• R18 - this is reserved for films of an extreme sexual nature (pornography). R18 films may only be distributed in the form of video and DVD in a controlled environment (eg. Adult Shops). No public viewing of this film may take place. R18 films may not be broadcast on television and in cinemas. This has been breached twice by ETv, where the soft bordering hardcore Emanuelle was screened.

(The R18 rating does not refer to child or animal pornography - as this is totally banned by the Film and Publication Board)

additional symbols:

• V (Violence)
• N (Nudity)
• S (Sex)
• L (Language)

Thailand

The Television Classification System has been firstly introduced in the Kingdom of Thailand on 1st December 2006. The System is a project of the Government Public Relations Department by the Office of National Broadcasting Commission and all 6 Thai TV stations to set up a procedure of TV program classification. The main 4 (and 3 sub) rating signs (Thai characters) are now shown on screen before and during the duration of the program. However, the stations have to follow the existing laws - do and don't - on broadcasting program. The ratings (translated into English) used are as follows:

• C- Children: made for children aged 2 - 12. (ด)
• P - Pre-school Children: made for children aged 2 - 6. (ก)
• G - General: for all ages. (ท)
• PG (น) - Parental Guidance: children and youth viewers should be advised by adults during viewing.

(A rate can be "PG" or specified by age of viewers as "PG13" or "PG18" )

• S - Special: for viewers aged 18 and above only. (ฉ)

Turkey

Radyo ve Televizyon Üst Kurulu RTUK introduced a television rating system, named "Akıllı İşaretler" (Smart Symbols) in 2005.

• General Audience (Genel İzleyici)
• File:Turkey 7.jpg For 7 or up (7 Yaş ve Üzeri için)
• File:Turkey13.jpg For 13 or up (13 Yaş ve Üzeri için)
• File:Turkey 18.jpg For 18 or up (18 Yaş ve Üzeri için)

These icons can be accompanied by any of the following subratings:

• Sexual Activity (Cinsellik)
• Horror and/or Violence (Korku ve Şiddet)
• Inappropriate Material (Olumsuz Örnek Oluşturabilecek Davranışlar) - refers to drug/alcohol/tobacco use, profanity/crude language, etc.

United Kingdom

For details on the video and DVD classification system in the UK, see British Board of Film Classification.

In the United Kingdom there is no general TV rating system as the television regulator, Ofcom, sets clear boundaries for what can be shown and when. The most obvious example of this is in the watershed, the time after which more explicit content (15, 18) can be shown. On main broadcast television channels this is 9pm, however on certain satellite channels it is 8pm.

In addition to Ofcom's requirements, some channels have also adopted their own systems:

• The BBC and ITV give verbal announcements before programmes as to the nature of the programme about to be shown. ITV and the BBC show these comparatively rarely compared to Channel 4.
• In addition to the above, Channel 4 occasionally has extra announcements before a programme resumes from a commercial break, if the content in a certain segment is viewed to be likely to cause offence. (i.e. if the programme crosses the watershed). Examples include the usage of the word "cunt" on Big Brother and a standard "don't try this at home" disclaimer before and during Jackass. See also red triangle.
• Five has its own rating system, roughly based on a mixture of the BBFC and MPAA movie classification systems, used for films only:
  • Universal rating - The film is appropriate for all ages and may even be suitable for family viewing.
  • Guidance rating - The film may contain some mild violence, language or brief nudity. Some scenes may be unsuitable for young children.
  • Caution rating - The film may contain strong violence, swearing, sex or disturbing scenes. For adults only.

United States

The TV Parental Guidelines system was first proposed on December 19, 1996 by the Congress, the television industry and the FCC, and went into effect by January 1, 1997 on most major broadcast and cable networks in response to public concerns of increasingly explicit sexual content, graphic violence and strong profanity in television programs. It was established as a voluntary-participation system, with ratings to be determined by the individually-participating broadcast and cable networks. It was specifically designed to be used with the V-chip, which was mandated to be built into all television sets manufactured since 2000, but the guidelines themselves have no legal force. The icons themselves were designed by TV Guide's then Design Director, Ken Feisel, with the specific intent of being legible as small icons in the magazine's listings.

The system does not apply to news or sports programming, or commercials. An E/I will be shown during the entirety of some TV-Y shows.

The first 3 ratings are used for kids' shows.

• TV-Y (Suitable for all ages.)

  The themes and content in programs issued this rating are specifically aimed at a young audience, mainly those ages 2-6. These programs are not expected to frighten or upset young children. Examples of programs issued this rating include The Huggabug Club, Rugrats, Wow Wow Wubbzy, Poopster Sheep, Go Baby, The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Thomas and Friends, and one of the episodes of DonutBoy, and many other children's series are issued this rating. Toon Disney uses the Y instead of Y7 rating because it aims toward older and younger children (mainly ages 2-11). Sometimes shows rated TV-Y gets changed to TV-Y7.

• TV-Y7 (Unsuitable for children under 7)

  These shows may be inappropriate for children under 7 without the guidance of a parent and is more for children who have acquired the developmental skills needed to distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality. These shows may contain comedic violence, fantasy violence (FV), crude or suggestive humor, or may contain scenes that may frighten more impressionable children. It may contain non-cursing language ("dang", "Oh Snap" "Hell"and "sucks") such as in shows like Ed, Edd n Eddy,Drake and Josh, and The Fairly OddParents),and other shows have violence (Suffocating,bleeding,and burning) such as shows like Sponge Bob Squarepants, Camp Lazlo, and sometimes Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends. Examples of programs issued this rating include Class Of 3000, Aladdin, Ren and Stimpy (excluding the "Adult Party Cartoon" episodes), Time Warp Trio, and The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron.

• TV-Y7-FV (may not be suitable for children under 7--contains fantasy violence)

  Programs issued this rating contain fantasy violence that may be more intense than other programs in the same category. Pucca and Gargoyles are often given this rating. Other programs issued this rating include: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Sonic X, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Ultimate Muscle, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the 4Kids Entertainment version), Pokémon, Digimon, Get Ed, Yin-Yang-Yo!, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Dragon Ball Z (the original dub) ReBoot , and some episodes of Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, Danny Phantom, My Life as a Teenage Robot, Jonny Quest, Code Lyoko and Dragon Ball Z.

• TV-G (general audience)

  Programs issued this rating are deemed appropriate for general audiences, however content in these programs are not always specifically intended towards children. Examples of programs issued this rating include The Price Is Right, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, earlier episodes of American Idol, religious programming, documentaries, Dexter's Laboratory, Full House, and early episodes of The Simpsons. Many programs on the Disney Channel use the G rating instead of the Y7 rating as the Disney Channel aims toward a family audience. TV-G may have non-cursing language narrowed down to "Oh My God", "stupid", and "Crap" in programs such as Full House (Season 1 mostly), Doug, Growing Pains(Mostly Seasons 1, 5-7), Boy Meets World (Mostly Seasons 1-4), The Suite Life, Step by Step, and other ABC sitcoms.

• TV-PG (Unsuitable for young children)

  This rating signifies that the program is usually unsuitable for young children without the guidance of a parent. Some game shows are rated TV-PG, including Deal or No Deal, The Power of 10, 1 vs. 100, Family Feud (current episodes) and Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader, mainly for their suggestive dialog. Most reality shows are rated TV-PG, including Supernanny, Wife Swap, Kid Nation, and American Idol, for their suggestive dialog or coarse language. Comedy shows such as Everybody Loves Raymond, The Steve Harvey Show, and Seinfeld maintain a TV-PG rating in every episode. Also some unamericanized anime get this rating such as Princess Tutu, Naruto and Kodocha. Many prime time shows carry this rating like Mama's Family, Family Matters, Dharma and Greg, Amen, Alice, Designing Women, Who's the Boss and The Wonder Years. Most of the Court programs such as Judge Judy may be rated TV-PG for their suggestive dialog or coarse language. Some feature films originally rated PG-13 or R are edited for network or basic cable and are rated TV-PG. Some shows may skip over from TV-PG to TV-14 between episodes, including House, Ugly Betty, America's Got Talent, Desperate Housewives, Friends, Family Guy, Eureka 7 and Without a Trace. Some Fox reality/documentary shows switch between TV-PG and TV-14 such as Cops and America's Most Wanted. Goosebumps switched from a TV-Y7 to TV-PG when it appeared on Cartoon Network. The rating may be accompanied by one or more of the following subratings:

  • V for moderate violence
  • S for mild sexual situations
  • L for mild coarse language
  • D for suggestive dialogue (mature themes)

• TV-14 (Unsuitable for children under 14)

  Programs issued the TV-14 rating are usually unsuitable for children under the age of 14 without the guidance of a parent or guardian. This rating may be accompanied by any of the following subratings:

  • V for intense violence
  • S for moderate sexual situations
  • L for coarse language
  • D for highly suggestive dialogue

  Many programs that air after 9:00 pm are rated TV-14 with some exceptions, including Bones and Prison Break which are on at 8:00 pm, as well as The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live, as well as many prime-time dramas and some sitcoms such as Family Guy and American Dad. Also, many crime dramas carry the TV-14 rating, such as the Law & Order franchise, Prison Break, and some episodes of The Simpsons. Much of Comedy Central's shows such as Mad TV and Mind of Mencia also carry this rating. Many daytime soap operas such as Guiding Light, As The World Turns, and Passions, and wrestling shows such as WWE Raw and ECW on Sci-Fi have this rating as well. Certain PG-13 or R rated feature films are rated TV-14 when edited for network or basic cable. Many programs on Adult Swim get a TV-14 such as Bleach, Shin Chan, Death Note, and Inuyasha. Others alternate between TV-14 and TV-MA, such as Happy Tree Friends Robot Chicken, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GiG and blood+.

  Often award ceremonies (such as the Academy Awards) and concerts will be rated TV-14.

• TV-MA (intended for mature audiences; formerly TV-M until 1998)

  This program is not intended for and may not be suitable for children under the age of 17 (which is considered the last year of childhood). The program may contain extreme graphic violence, strong profanity, overt explicit sexual dialogue, nudity and/or strong sexual content. South Park frequently carries a TV-MA rating, with the syndicated episodes receiving a TV-14 rating, as well as original programming on HBO and Showtime and some of the shows on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim such as Moral Orel, Metalocalypse, and Lucy, Daughter of the Devil. The film Schindler's List was the first network TV program to display this rating whereas the pilot episode of the CBS police drama Brooklyn South was the first network TV show to display the rating.

This rating may be accompanied by any of the following subratings:

• V for extreme graphic violence
• S for explicit sexual situations
• L for strong coarse language
• The D sub-rating is not used for TV-MA. When TV-MA was still "TV-M" the D sub-rating was actually used.

The implications of these ratings, particularly the TV-MA rating, vary greatly depending on the situation. For example, South Park, which airs on Comedy Central in prime time, generally contained bleeped language even though it carries the TV-MA rating. Yet certain other TV-MA programs on Comedy Central (including the late-night "Secret Stash" airings of films such as South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Kevin Smith titles and other programs) appear to have no restrictions on language. This largely depends on the wishes of the shows' sponsors. Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block often uses a similarly "tame" TV-MA rating, most likely because Cartoon Network is still largely considered a children's network. Their TV-MA programs generally have strong animated violence and slightly stronger language than TV-14 programs, but are not nearly as strong in impact as many other TV-MA programs, such as those on HBO and Showtime.

Table of levels

Level of rating	Violence	Language	Sexual situations	Dialogue	Fantasy violence	Drama	Crude humor
TV-Y	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)
TV-Y7	Y (mild)	Y (mild)	N (unused)	N (unused)	Y (Mild. Very mild to strong in Y7-FV.	Y (very mild)	Y (very mild)
TV-G	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	N (unused)	Y (very mild)
TV-PG	Y (moderate)	Y (mild)	Y (mild)	Y (mild)	Y (moderate)	Y (mild)	Y (mild)
TV-14	Y (strong)	Y (moderate)	Y (moderate)	Y (moderate)	Y (strong)	Y (moderate)	Y (moderate)
TV-MA	Y (Strong)	Y (Strong)	Y (strong)	Y (strong) (the D sub rating is unused)	Y (very strong)	Y (strong)	Y (strong)

For the first 15 seconds of every rated program lasting a half-hour or less, a large rating icon appears in the upper-left hand corner of the TV screen. For every rated program running an hour or longer, a rating appears in the upper-left hand corner of the TV screen at the beginning of each half hour.

Starting in the summer of 2005, many networks will now display the icons after every commercial break. ABC was one of the first television networks to display the program's rating after every commercial break in addition to at the beginning of the program.

Many networks have also introduced their own styling to the icons:

• ABC's ratings icons do not use the regular Helvetica font, instead going with a Bank Gothic typeface, with black type on a white background, and are larger than the voluntary specifications. However, normal Helvetica ratings icons are shown on the network's HDTV feed and in promos.
• CBS and The CW only show the icon at the start of the program, and use the original smaller icons (excluding Friday Night SmackDown!, which is rated by its production company).
• Fox networks ratings icons are colored blue with white type, use a clockwise transition animation, and are larger than the voluntary specifications, appearing at the start of any live action program and, as of April 9, 2007, after every commercial break (the complete 15 seconds of the icon is shown as close to the half-hour as possible during an at least hour-long program; 5 seconds of the icon, without the clockwise transition, is shown after every other commercial break). Black and white icons are retained for animated programs on the network and the 4Kids TV weekend children's block. The clockwise animation is in use with these as well, with 15 seconds of rating at the top of the 1st and 3rd segments, and (as of March 24, 2007) 5 seconds of rating at the top of the 2nd and 4th segments. In the late 1990s, when the ratings system was first introduced, 4Kids TV predecessor Fox Kids aired brief notices before a particular show containing the rating and informing the viewer that it's there "so you can have Fox Kids family fun!". However, Fox's related cable networks, FX, Fox Reality, Fox Movie Channel and National Geographic Channel, do not use the clockwise blue ratings, instead opting to use a ratings icon with white text on black, which at the start of a show will take up 1/12th of the screen, as per specifications used by the cable industry. After each commercial break it is shown at the original smaller size (excluding Fox Movie Channel, which does not show commercials). During The Family Channel's stint as Fox Family, it used the black icons.
• NBC's ratings icons are translucent (except at the top of each hour or the start of a program, when they are completely opaque), and have the yellow feather in the NBC Peacock logo "click" the rating onto the screen like a mouse cursor clicking an icon to go with that network's current image branding. NBC, Telemundo, and their related cable networks (except USA Network and Sci Fi Channel, which were acquired by the network in the 2004 NBC Universal merger) did not use the D-L-S-V subratings until 2005. .
• PBS' ratings icons vary by each program's producers, though usually the default icons are used, with black Helvetica type on a white background. PBS and the network's digital cable networks/digital broadcast subchannels also opted out of the D-L-S-V subratings until 2005.
• Syndicated programming often will show ratings icons drastically different from the original icons, in a different font (such as Tahoma), with a translucent or no background, letters with drop shadowing, or which match up with the title card or closing credits font for the program. This owes to the fact that the individual programs' production companies, not the broadcasting stations, apply the ratings.
• Both NBC and MyNetworkTV show the icon within the video area instead of the normal placement on a 4:3 scale whenever letterboxed programs are aired.
• Turner Classic Movies uses the television ratings system to rate films not covered by the MPAA film ratings system, which went into effect for films released after October 1968. As the network or the film's distributor rates the film on the TV ratings system instead of the MPAA's, some conflicts occur between the two ratings systems, such as a film that might rate a MPAA G earning a TV-PG, and some cases of a MPAA PG-like movie earning a TV-14 or TV-MA rating on TCM. This was a result in the changes of the level of content in the rating system. Most G-rated movies back in the late 60s and early 70s have content equivalent to PG and PG-13 today. Most PG movies rated PG in the 70s have at least PG-13 level content. Sometimes a PG movie in the 70s may have R-like content. Some MPAA rated films may also have a separate TV rating from TCM to clarify content further within the D-L-S-V subratings. MPAA and TV ratings on TCM are presented before the program, in a separate segment, in a similar manner used by most premium movie channels.
• The cable network TBS airs the ratings icons after each commercial break, with a larger version of the icon at the top of the program (sometimes to conceal a rating previously applied by a different network). The rating icons are black lettering on a translucent white background. TNT, CourtTV, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim and Boomerang do this as well. Lifetime previously did this, but is not owned by Turner like the networks mentioned before.

Venezuela

See, Ley Resorte (Rebound Law).

1. For further details, refer to the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Code of Ethics and Voluntary Code Regarding Violence in Television Programming

• Entertainment rating organizations
• Media content ratings systems