KEY POINTS:
The censor is dealing with more violent and pornographic material because of changes in technology.
The Office of Film and Literature Classification said in its annual report yesterday that 2598 publications were registered or classified.
That was the highest in the office's history and 20 per cent up on last year. Just over a third were advertising for videos, DVDs or games.
Of the remaining 1652 publications, DVDs made up the largest proportion with 1113 DVDs classified compared with 210 videos.
Computer-related material made up 6 per cent, with magazines and books making up just 1 per cent. There was also one item of clothing.
Of the 1652 publications, 45 per cent were classified R18 (72 per cent of those were DVDs) and 27 per cent were classified as objectionable.
Six publications were classified R13, three R15 and the remaining 188 received unrestricted classifications.
Most of the material deemed to be objectionable was computer material with 91 items in that category.
Many of those computer-related items declared objectionable were items referred by the police or the courts in regard to court cases or complaints.
The remaining 78 objectionable publications were videos and DVDs.
The examples cited by the office covered sexual violence and exploitation of women, as well as one showing homeless people being ridiculed, harassed, assaulted and enticed with offers of money to do juvenile stunts.
The office declined to make a decision on a T-shirt printed with offensive language that the Internal Affairs Department took offence at.
The office said anyone wearing the garment risked public disapproval and, in that case, social control was a more effective means of regulation than the enforcement of a classifications office decision.
- NZPA
