ACMA dismisses complaint against Rake sex scene

One viewer's sex scene is another viewer's "violent sexual expression of male dominance". And other media tidbits of the day.

‘Anal’ in the eye of the beholder. A sex scene in ABC comedy Rake did not breach the Broadcast Services Act, the Australian Communications and Media Authority has found, despite a complainant saying the scene was “gratuitous pornography” that “gave tacit approval to the violent sexual expression of male dominance and encouraged the belief by younger viewers that such behaviour was normal and desired by women”.

The scene, broadcast on May 26 this year, was about 30 seconds long and depicted a conjugal prison visit between Edgar Thompson and an unidentified woman. According to the ABC’s description:

“Edgar Thompson is in prison and engages in implied sexual intercourse with a woman in a prison cell. A partially clothed woman is facing the wall and a partially clothed man is thrusting from behind. The first view is a brief wide shot, where the woman’s hands are seen on the man’s buttocks. Continued thrusting is shown in a waist high close-up shot, the man’s hands are shown on the woman’s covered breasts. In the final wide shot showing the man thrusting behind the woman, the man’s nude buttocks are shown briefly.”

A complainant objected to the scene, saying it depicted “simulated anal intercourse”. ACMA disagreed, saying “there is nothing to indicate that is the case”. The regulator also noted the scene was “consensual and non-violent”. Because of the appropriate classification and warning given at the start of the program, ACMA did not find a breach of the broadcasting code. Other factors considered by ACMA included the short length of the scene, and the lack of detailed nudity. — Myriam Robin

News Corp courts yoof. News Corp has hit upon a way to help the youth unemployment crisis: it’s offering free job ads to employers who intend to employ young people.

Curiously buried towards the back of yesterday’s Daily Telegraph was this full-page call to arms from none other than News Corp Australia CEO Michael Miller.

“We’re asking big, medium and small businesses to open your collective doors to young Australians. 5,000 young Australians. Let’s provide that all important first foot in the door for the next generation.

“We’re kick starting the $500 jobs in 50 days campaign by allocating $1 million in advertising space to jobs for young people. We are also putting some skin in the game by providing 250 young Australians with internships at News Corp Australia.”

The ad doesn’t mention if those 250 internships are paid or not.

wewantyourjobnewscorp

— Myriam Robin

Another reason shows are late. Netflix’s global public policy manager Josh Korn has told Itnews that the service could have to delay releasing shows to Australian audiences because the Classification Board isn’t giving things classifications fast enough:

“Netflix adds thousands of hours to its Australian catalogue each month. Many of these titles, including Netflix original content, have never been shown in Australia and need to be given an Australian classification and labelled with appropriate consumer advisories.”

“As Netflix increases its investments in content, more and more titles will need to be given an Australian classification

“However, there are significant obstacles associated with classifying large volumes of content.

“Processing delays could result in content being premiered later in Australia than in other Netflix markets.”

TV Ratings. Seven won total people in the metros, Nine won it in the regions. Nine and Seven drew the main channels in the metros, Nine won it in the regions. Nine had better demos because of The Block.

60 Minutes profiled Roxy Jacenko (who, I hear you ask outside Sydney?). She is a Sydney PR queen married to a man called Oliver Curtis who has appealed his conviction for insider trading. She is a publicity hound and was profiled for that as much as anything. Who cares? It was not a 60 Minutes story and was driven more by Jacenko’s social media postings and pictures than anything of substance. 60 Minutes had 1.348 million national viewers after The Block which had 1.581 million. Good for a starter.

Australian Survivor: Ten will be sort of happy, but looks like I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here without the celebs (the host is best known). Averaged 1.048 million national viewers, which is OK. The Block: Solid opening, but same old same old. But let’s give them a week to settle down and see if they convince or offend viewers. And Tour of Spain is underway, so the odd late night, again.

Seven starts its post games blitz tonight with a plane crash on Home and Away (a bit far from the sand and surf of Summer Bay?), and then its desert time with Mr Crocqeumbouche, Sydney chef, Adriano Zumbo. — Click here to read Glenn Dyer’s full TV Ratings.

Video of the day. “Not everyone will like you. Some people will try to put you down. They’ll discredit you — they’ll backstab you. Just be yourself.” Auburn’s colourful former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has posted a motivational video to Youtube that seems to draw heavily on his own life …