Media Regulation: Case Study, "13 Reasons Why"

Media Regulation: Case Study, "13 Reasons Why"

The New Zealand classifications body has created a new category of censorship for controversial Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why, after complaints from mental health bodies that it glorified suicide and could prompt copycats.

New Zealand has the highest rate of teenage suicide in the OECD, with an average of two young people taking their own life each week.

The New Zealand Office of Film and Literature created a new censorship category RP18 to address concerns over the series, issuing an immediate restriction on the show to those aged under 18, unless accompanied by an adult. 

The authority said the existing classification distinctions were not considered adequate, as 16- and 17-year-olds were a prime age-group for teen suicide.

The series, which was released in New Zealand at the end of March, chronicles the sexual assault and suicide of Hannah Baker, who records an extended suicide note through a series of 13 tapes explaining her decision.

New Zealand censors have created a new rating for Netflix show 13 Reasons Why that allows teens to watch the controversial show provided they have parental guidance.

American drama 13 Reasons Why deals with the suicide of a teen and also depicts sexual assault.

It has been criticized for showing the method by which a character kills herself - a practice strongly discouraged by mental health organizations because it can encourage copycat behavior. Some aspects of the show have been praised, however, including positive messaging around consent and sexual violence, and the way it raises awareness of youth mental health.

"All the teens we spoke to felt the show addressed issues that were relevant to them, and that the series overall had positive messages relating to social awareness: treating others with respect and compassion, and raising awareness about suicide, sexual violence, bullying, and other issues," he said.

The second season of the controversial drama premiered earlier this month, depicting scenes of suicide, drug use, gang rape and self harm.

Netflix also placed warning messages before certain episodes that contained potentially traumatic content.

However, Chief Censor David Shanks told Morning Report that the warnings Netflix had included were inadequate.

"One of the things I was saying to Netflix was 'this is primarily a series about rape, that is a dominant theme, you need to say that to people really clearly."

One 15-year-old RNZ spoke with said the warning left her ill-prepared for what she was about to view.

"When you say graphic, obviously it's going to be quite impacting, but what was actually shown I feel was more than having an impact on an audience, I felt, after I had watched that, I felt like I had been violated, like I had been the one that had been assaulted because it was such an intense scene."

Questions:

13 reasons why first came out on the 31st of March 2017. It was developed by Netflix by Brian Yorkey, which was based on a novel made in 2007.

The first season of “13 Reasons Why” received widespread criticism for its graphic depictions of suicide and sexual assault. The season was narrated by Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford), who died by suicide in the Season 1 finale after being relentlessly bullied and in some cases, assaulted by her classmates.

After being raped and bullied, she killed herself. Netflix has now edited out a controversial scene depicting her suicide.

On 27 April 2017, the Classification Office of New Zealand classified all episodes of the 13 Reasons Why Netflix original television series as RP18, meaning that no one below the age of 18 years old may see unless for those who are accompanied by a parent or guardian.

In other countries 13 Reasons Why on Netflix is rated TV-MA, which means Mature Audience Only.

There was alot of struggle with the viewing of 13 reasons why because of the graphic senses such as suicide, rape, and bullying. Many American TV shows have got a few of these embedded but are not as detailed and specific as 13 reasons why, they also do not show the very graphic things that will make people feel ill or uncomfortable to watch. Because of this it made people around the world start to act differently and perform differently many audiences have decided to be active and taken it to social media tyo complain about the episodes and season 2 especially. This was made one of the hardest TV series to watch on Netflix.