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State 2 regulates films, TV, and video games in State 2. Prior to 2016, Bandcomm regulates media here, now by the State 2 Classification Board Institute for Media.
Age Ratings[]
- G - Suitable for all ages. Very mild in impact. Equivalent to TV-Y and TV-G (TV), G (Films), and eC and soft E (Video Games).
- If the film can offend children under 7 years of age, then "Not recommended for children under 7" is added to the classification. Equivalent to TV-Y7(-FV) (TV), soft PG (Films), and hard E (Video Games)
- 10+ - Persons aged 10 years or older allowed. In cinema, under 10s can be admitted if accompanied by an adult. Mild in impact. Equivalent to soft TV-PG (TV), hard PG (Films), and soft E10+ (Video Games)
- 12+ - Persons aged 12 years or older allowed. In cinema, under 12s can be admitted if accompanied by an adult. Moderate in impact. Equivalent to hard TV-PG (TV), soft PG-13 (Films), and hard E10+ and soft T (Video Games)
- 14+ - Persons aged 14 years or older allowed. In cinema, under 14s can be admitted if accompanied by an adult. Strong in impact. Equivalent to TV-14 (TV), hard PG-13 (Films), and hard T (Video Games). Films, TV, and video games are often cut here to receive this classification due to the extent that 16+ is a hard age restriction.
- 16+ - Persons aged 16 years or older allowed only, no one under that age admitted. Very strong in impact. Equivalent to TV-MA (TV), R and also NC16 as a direct equivalent (Films), and M17+ (Video Games). Unless it is designated as an adult channel, it may only broadcast from 7:00pm to 6:00am, with some exceptions. Often films, TV programs, and computer games are censored to receive a lower age rating because it is a hard age restriction. Some films, TV, and video games are cut here to receive this classification.
- 18+ - Persons aged 18 years or older allowed only, no one under that age admitted. Extreme in impact. Equivalent to beyond TV-MA (TV), NC-17 (Films), and AO (Video Games). Unless it is designed as an adult channel, it may only broadcast from 10:00pm to 5:00am, with some exceptions. Some films are cut at this rating, especially to avoid getting banned or receiving an X rating. Some films, TV, and games are censored to receive a softer classification.
- X - Persons aged 18 years or older allowed only, no one under that age admitted. Explicit in impact. Licensed cinemas only. Not to be supplied by mail order. Equivalent to R18, RE, A (Canada), and X 18+ (Films). Some films are cut at this rating to avoid getting banned. Some films are censored to receive a softer classification.
In exceptional cases, it may be banned altogether, meaning classified as Refused Classification. The film whereas banned, may be shown with the permission of local councils but may not be sold on home video. Some video games had been imported with ESRB, PEGI, CERO, GRAC, BBFC (prior to 2012 or external video material) or USK classification, and since has marked the label of the age ratings before selling with being intact in sales.
History of Age Ratings[]
State 2 started out with the rating system that is regulated by the General Film Regulation Association (GRFA) in 1963, prior to it the Motion Picture Code was made in 1948. It was only applicable to films. The age ratings at launch were: G (General Audiences), and the restricted categories 12, 15, and 18 to their corresponding ages. In some cases, a film may be banned even at that time. In 1973 it revised their rating system to make 12 Advisory and 15 partially restricted, 15 means anyone under this age must be accompanied by an adult, and most cinemas in this state prohibited to show 18-rated films (as that time possible NC-17) so a 16 classification was made in 1975 to make it "fully restrictive but more widespread than 18". In 1977, the GRFA was dissolved and succeeded by the State 2 Classification Regulation (S2CR). As of June 1981, 96% of theaters in that state had shown 16-rated movies, and this marks 16 as the first successful fully prohibitive rating that many motion pictures were rated 16. As of 1984, some theaters decided to requested another company to register licensed cinemas for pornographic films. As a result, almost immediately, X18 was added to the rating system meaning licensed adult cinemas and shops only. They started monitoring video as of 1984, with Gc being added. In 1986, their guidelines were updated. As of 1990, descriptors started to be shown, meaning "Sex", "Violence", "Coarse Language", "Substance", "Discrimination", "Frightening Scenes", etc.
In 1993, the State 2 Classification Regulation was later extended to TV programs and video games, after complaints regarding Night Trap, Lethal Enforcers, Doom, and Mortal Kombat video games, the latter would be without the X18. This also led to the creation of Entertainment Software Rating Board in 1994, following this, more detailed and extensive descriptors were added in 1995, including "Strong Violence", "Strong Coarse Language", "Realistic Violence", "War Violence", "Fantasy Violence", "Cartoon Violence", "Nudity", "Partial Nudity", "Sexual Partial Nudity", "Strong Nudity", "Sexual Strong Nudity", "Sexual Nudity", "Sexual Themes", "Sexual References", "Sexual Content", "Fear Scenes", "Horror Scenes", "Crude Humor", "Mature Humor", "Comic Mischief", "Very Strong Violence", "Strong Realistic Violence", "Mild Violence", "Discriminatory Language", "Discriminatory Content", "Suggestive Themes", "Sexual Innuendo", "Sexual Posturing", and "Thematic Elements". In 1997, 15 was split into 14 and the already existing 16 categories. In 2000, "Suicide Themes", "Suicide Scenes", and "Imitative Behavior" descriptors were added. In 2002, several protests regarding BMX XXX state that this video game shall be banned despite its 18 rating given. A similar case was given to Manhunt the following year and same goes for The Punisher after this and even after this, in 2005, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. A rating suitable for ages 10+ was added in 2005 as "10". Certain video games, TV programs, and films continued to be modified, cut, or banned. However, the release of the Wii was accompanied by several even more controversial games passed 18, such as Manhunt 2, No More Heroes, The House of the Dead: Overkill, and MadWorld, the latter three of which were initially published exclusively for the console and the second one had a cut version passed 16.
Copyright infringement was also managed by the classification board since 2008. In 2009, State 2 Classification Regulation was merged with Bandcomm Regulation Authority for Media and became Bandcomm Classification Regulation, although the latter merged still exists, their rating systems was merged around while the former merged was a part of the merge target. In 2011, Bandcomm Classification Regulation again merged with Bandcomm Copyright Infringement Regulation Authority. In 2012, several even more content descriptor were introduced, including "Mild Realistic Violence", "Blood", "Blood and Gore", "Animated Blood", "Animated Gore", "Sadistic Violence", "Animated Blood and Gore", "Gore", "Mild Blood", "Mild Gore", "Realistic Gore", "Realistic Blood", "Mature Sexual Themes", "Very Strong Coarse Language", and several others. Content advices were added in 2013 by BandcommInsight, however BandcommInsight was dissolved in 2015 with Bandcomm Media Authority, and as a result, Bandcomm Classification Regulation does the content advice. In 2016, Bandcomm Media Authority was dissolved and its functions were moved to the State 2 Classification Board Institute for Media. Bandcomm does not take control of it, however, Bandcomm and Dermu continue to manage copyright infringement. In 2018, X18 was shortened as X and the "+" symbol was added to the numbers of 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18, and as well an age rating denotes content suitable for 7 and up was introduced as 7+ or G with Not recommended for children under 7 appendix. The X age rating was introduced for video games in 2020.