GE CitizenshipNBC Universal
NBC Universal is committed to providing innovative, entertaining, quality television programming that respects the sensibilities of its diverse viewing audiences while complying with government and corporate regulations and policies.
NBC Universal’s Program Standards and Compliance Department works with writers, producers and network and studio executives to meet this goal. The company reviews broadcast and cable network entertainment programming to provide guidance and judgment on content issues such as sexual material, nudity, violence, language and dialogue, use of drugs and alcohol and potentially negative stereotypes.
To help families make informed viewing choices, the department assigns an age-appropriateness rating to all NBC television network entertainment programs. These ratings appear at the top and in the body of entertainment programs. The department also determines whether a particular program should also receive a program advisory. The department also ensures that entertainment programming on NBC Universal broadcast and cable networks complies with FCC rules and policies, relevant federal statutory provisions and GE and NBC Universal corporate policies. The department requires the integrity, fairness, safety and security of programs and their participants. Universal Studios, the division of NBC Universal that produces feature films, is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America, whose film rating system helps families make informed decisions about the content of motion pictures.
Smoking in movies
In light of the serious health risks associated with tobacco smoking, Universal Pictures has undertaken efforts to reduce depictions of tobacco smoking in its films that are rated for a youth audience. A committee, comprised of executives with responsibilities across a variety of disciplines, has developed a formal policy and procedures for identifying, evaluating and, where appropriate and feasible, eliminating smoking incidents from its youth-rated films.
Universal Pictures’ policy states that, as a baseline, Universal Pictures presumes that no smoking incidents should appear in any youth-rated film produced by Universal Pictures or any wholly owned Universal Studios film label and released in the United States. This presumption can be rebutted with respect to a given smoking incident based on the importance of the incident to the film, from a factual or creative standpoint and/or the difficulty in removing it from the film. Whether or not the film will be marketed to adolescents, either primarily or as part of a mixed audience, will also be taken into account. This presumption against smoking incidents in youth-rated films means that, as a default, smoking incidents should be avoided. Smoking incidents may be permitted in a youth-rated film only when there is a substantial reason for doing so.
In the event that a smoking incident is permitted in a youth-rated film that is subject to this policy, Universal Pictures will release the film with a health warning in certain distribution channels. This warning may appear in or on materials or elements such as end credits, DVD content and packaging and marketing materials.
In addition, Universal Pictures makes no product placement, tie-in or other promotional arrangements with tobacco companies for any of its films, regardless of rating. No Universal production may receive consideration of any kind in exchange for depicting tobacco or tobacco-related signage or paraphernalia in a Universal film.
Universal Pictures has established internal procedures to identify smoking incidents at each stage of the development and production processes, both in films subject to this policy and in all other Universal films (regardless of anticipated rating), to promote dialogue with filmmakers regarding depictions of tobacco smoking and to govern evaluation of smoking incidents under this policy.