'Using the comparison of these two texts as your starting point, explore the media issues and debates which they raise"
The exorcist is a well known and established movie which is regarded as one of the most scariest films in the horror genre of all time, for its era its a realistic film with limited the limited features and technology that was only on offer, it went on to become a corner stone for other movies and directors in the future for this type of genre as its violent graphic nature pushed horror into new dimensions of gruesomeness.
These new aspects of the horror genre at the time were new to companies that gave ratings to films such as BBFC and MPPA and also to audiences of the UK thus being the reason why the UK release set off controversy and outrage, this could be due to the fact it was a new experience that they weren't use to plus the fact it was making a direct reference to Satan (the devil) something which had not been done before and which was deemed socially unacceptable to screen. It even went as far as the movie being banned in some areas such as the contempt of disgust and shock to the ideologies the film was promoting which made the exorcists reputation even worse.
When dealing with material that was considered unbelievable at the time, there must be an aspect of truth that is sufficient enough to obtain for the audience to relate with as opposed to using their imagination because it only heightens the disbelief for the moment. The Exorcist revealed violations of codes put in place by rating authorities that pointed to the possible decrease of the film audience with violence contained in movies based purely on the shock response.
If you look through time then as society moves on so does acceptance of certain things and the movie ratings companies make reference to these changes on society when releasing certain content, this is why some things weren’t repeated from the original and some where built on this. Some of the scenes that occurred in the exorcists were not repeated because of the nature of the scenes and what they contained.
When comparing the modern version to the one with the old there are clear differences between the two this is mostly because they are separated by the two decades and the amount of technology in the 70s was limited as apposed to today’s Hollywood effect. The original mise en scene has obvious contrasts with the updated version as it with the lighting affects used during the new one a stark contrast to the dark gloomy effect the original has on you went first viewing.
Thursday, 18 December 2008
Friday, 28 November 2008
BBFC Questions
1. From where does the BBFC get its funding?
A- They are funded out of fees from distributors for the ratings that they provide
2. What types of texts do the BBFC classify?
A- The BBFC classify films but now recently have started to do it with videoes aswell
3. What are the problems / issues that the BBFC must deal with when classifying material? Look at the types of things they classify, ability to account for all types of content, changing context etc?
A- They deal with problems such as voilence, rape, sexual assualt aswell as extremes of human experience that are uncomfotable and serious issues in sosicety right now like medical operations, attacks on animals and real life executions.
4. Note the range of classification categories and what they mean
U-It is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child. But a ‘U’ film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. U films should be set within a positive moral framework and should offer reassuring counterbalances to any violence, threat or horror.
Videos classified 'Uc' are particularly suitable for pre-school children and normally raise none of the issues set out below.
PG- Mild bad language only, natural nudity, with no sexual context and moderate violence justified by its setting (eg historic, comedy or fantasy).
A. 12 A- Suitable for 12 years and over. No-one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult
12- No-one younger than 12 may rent or buy a ‘12’ rated video or DVD. Responsibility for allowing under-12s to view lies with the accompanying or supervising adult.
15- There may be frequent use of strong language (eg 'fuck'). But the strongest terms (eg 'cunt') will be acceptable only where justified by the context. Continued aggressive use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable
18- No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 18 may rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video. Where material or treatment appears to the Board to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society – e.g. any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which is likely to promote the activity.
5. Look at how different themes /content within texts are classified. Make notes. Why might a DVD featuring content of skateboarders and BMX bikers performing dangerous stunts be classified as 18 but a film containing a sex scene and use of the ‘f’ word only get a 15 rating?
A- They are funded out of fees from distributors for the ratings that they provide
2. What types of texts do the BBFC classify?
A- The BBFC classify films but now recently have started to do it with videoes aswell
3. What are the problems / issues that the BBFC must deal with when classifying material? Look at the types of things they classify, ability to account for all types of content, changing context etc?
A- They deal with problems such as voilence, rape, sexual assualt aswell as extremes of human experience that are uncomfotable and serious issues in sosicety right now like medical operations, attacks on animals and real life executions.
4. Note the range of classification categories and what they mean
U-It is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child. But a ‘U’ film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. U films should be set within a positive moral framework and should offer reassuring counterbalances to any violence, threat or horror.
Videos classified 'Uc' are particularly suitable for pre-school children and normally raise none of the issues set out below.
PG- Mild bad language only, natural nudity, with no sexual context and moderate violence justified by its setting (eg historic, comedy or fantasy).
A. 12 A- Suitable for 12 years and over. No-one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult
12- No-one younger than 12 may rent or buy a ‘12’ rated video or DVD. Responsibility for allowing under-12s to view lies with the accompanying or supervising adult.
15- There may be frequent use of strong language (eg 'fuck'). But the strongest terms (eg 'cunt') will be acceptable only where justified by the context. Continued aggressive use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable
18- No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 18 may rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video. Where material or treatment appears to the Board to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society – e.g. any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which is likely to promote the activity.
5. Look at how different themes /content within texts are classified. Make notes. Why might a DVD featuring content of skateboarders and BMX bikers performing dangerous stunts be classified as 18 but a film containing a sex scene and use of the ‘f’ word only get a 15 rating?
The BBFC's current guidelines identify a number of specific areas of concern which are considered when awarding certificates or requiring cuts. These are theme, language i.e. profanity, nudity, sex, violence, sexual violence,harmful actions. The BBFC also continues to demand cuts of any material which it considers may breach the provisions of the obscene publications act or any other legislation. Some of these materials in films that are in 15 rated one like sexual activity might not breach the pulbications act and thats why its rated at 15 compared to possibly lighter ones like bike moves that are rated at 18.
6 . Why might a film be given a rating of 15 upon release at the cinema but 10 years later be classified as a 12?
This may be the case through the change, creation or updatification of a law that perhaps either bands or allows new things that creep into the film instusty. Maybe the film indsutry acts on social and economical links like reacting to what the public views as acceptable or unacceptable and putting that into effect by the classification of films. For instance showing a robbery on screen in front of kids maybe of been viewed as non thinkable nowadays but widely accepted in the past .
7. Who is responsible for classifying films in the USA? How has this changed over time?
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPPA) is the instituion that is resposonsible for classifying films in America. Thier was a period of time during the 1960s that young films makers getting into the industry and producing films of gross nature which was before the creation of the MPPA but after the studio systems of the 1940s so in between both. They included sex, voilence and drug use which made other classfication industires become stricter towards these types of films.
8. Canis Canem Edit (2006, Rockstar)b. Crash (1996, David Cronenberg)c. A Clockwork Orange (1971, Stanley Kubrick)d. Fight Club (1999, David Fincher)e. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001, Simon West)f. Sweet Sixteen (2002, Ken Loach)g. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988, Martin Scorcese)h. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974, Tobe Hooper)
Is the role of the BBFC simply to classify material to provide guidance or is its role that of a censor?
I think its a bit of both really considering thier history and the laws that they consider when instating new censorships. They classify material on the basis of views from society and have also been given powers to censor what they like so if they are acting on the widely accpeted wishes of the public then they are acting as a censor in attemtping to cut down on the gross nature exploited to innaporiate aged chirlden.
When they classify the different aged ratings they are based on the nature of the content which sometimes they have a national duty to censor if the material ever over steps the mark for a certain age group. They supposedly have the parents and chrildens bests intrests at heart and so must act on those and censor if neccisary so they arent just thier to provide guidnence but also act as a reliable censor to the public thier are serving.
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Magazine cover analysis
When talking about the representation of women I am going to be using the examples of the two respective magazines OK and VOGUE talking about their similarities , differences , values and ideologies.
Contrasting styles
Neither magazine will claim to have a niche market amongst their audiences because of the interests and contexts they are portraying to their target readers through the women they have used for promoting their respective magazines. Both have famous women who have been in the media limelight for more than enough time to class them as famous or celebrities, on the one hand their is Britney spears who had a career as a pop star but fell from grace and ever since then the media has been exploiting every bad aspect of her life, while on the other side their is Kera knightly is a successful movie actress who has maintained her success by revelling in the public eye and media coverage.
OK uses Britney spears in a bikini on a holiday beach to attract an audience who are interested in celebrities and are deemed mostly a social lower class in contrast to magazine vogue who specify in giving their audience a more classier feel about fashion.
Looking at the two magazine covers you can tell by the two women’s characteristics why the magazine have chosen them to headline them, by reducing Britney spears to half nakedness demeans her as it suggests it is her body and looks that sell and not her brains that attract readers, however with vogue they get a stylish smart and independent actress to cover the front of their magazine with only a slight hint of nudity but this is to make the dress sexy yet smart. She is being treated as a role model to professional women who don’t want to have to do anything degrading to get into top industries.
In addition the layout of the magazines are very different as vogue adopts a more stylish and formal approach to go along with the matching characteristics of kera knightly and OK go for a more celeb styled, colourful and entertaining look. Vogue saw net profit by revenue rise 6.8 per approximately $1.4 billion and OK magazine sells a million copies a week, making profit on certain issues.
They both do so on portraying celebrities like these and so their choices of them seem justified because they attract their audiences successfully , one does it through exposure of women’s bodies while the other does it on their personality features.
Contrasting styles
Neither magazine will claim to have a niche market amongst their audiences because of the interests and contexts they are portraying to their target readers through the women they have used for promoting their respective magazines. Both have famous women who have been in the media limelight for more than enough time to class them as famous or celebrities, on the one hand their is Britney spears who had a career as a pop star but fell from grace and ever since then the media has been exploiting every bad aspect of her life, while on the other side their is Kera knightly is a successful movie actress who has maintained her success by revelling in the public eye and media coverage.
OK uses Britney spears in a bikini on a holiday beach to attract an audience who are interested in celebrities and are deemed mostly a social lower class in contrast to magazine vogue who specify in giving their audience a more classier feel about fashion.
Looking at the two magazine covers you can tell by the two women’s characteristics why the magazine have chosen them to headline them, by reducing Britney spears to half nakedness demeans her as it suggests it is her body and looks that sell and not her brains that attract readers, however with vogue they get a stylish smart and independent actress to cover the front of their magazine with only a slight hint of nudity but this is to make the dress sexy yet smart. She is being treated as a role model to professional women who don’t want to have to do anything degrading to get into top industries.
In addition the layout of the magazines are very different as vogue adopts a more stylish and formal approach to go along with the matching characteristics of kera knightly and OK go for a more celeb styled, colourful and entertaining look. Vogue saw net profit by revenue rise 6.8 per approximately $1.4 billion and OK magazine sells a million copies a week, making profit on certain issues.
They both do so on portraying celebrities like these and so their choices of them seem justified because they attract their audiences successfully , one does it through exposure of women’s bodies while the other does it on their personality features.
plan for essay
COSMO MAGAZINE
M
Light on toned body almost exposing parts of her breasts, is glamorous and sexy dress to go along with Strong happy pose giving off vibe that she is both independent and in control of what she is doing yet still sexy while being this. Positioning on the front cover gives her centre stage and all attention lavished on her as the magazine attempts to grab its audience and mantain that interest, also the way she is looking down on the reader suggest the intention of power the creators are trying to give off . She is centre of the male gaze by the clothes and expressions that connotes loves, happiness and above all glamorous and stylish
I
Cosmopolitan have wides ranges of similar style magazines which would include the same codes, conventions and features including colour, glamour and gossip. They want to embrace this sense of cultural identify amongst their brands by hiring someone like beyonce who gives them an image of what their Target audience aspire to be, these features of what they aspire to be match the institutions characteristics for being stylish sophistaced and sexy.
G
Female gossip, advice, and fashion magazine that helps its target audience personally rather than professionally in some areas like questionnaires and question and answer sessions, the magazines layout suggests these by their laid back informal narrative
R
Representing young, nice looking and above all successful females that have already established themselves in their particular industry.
A
Primary audience would be young girls aspiring to be like beyonce and go into the music or fashion industry and eventually become successful, their is also a possibly a secondary audience of middle aged woman wanting to remain youthful or need help finding ways to please their men as the cover displays different individual helping articles for women. The class ranges from A to C2 with the only difference between the classes being the confidence each women has about buying and taking notes from the magazine.
I
Two ideologies can be give off when viewing the Cosmo magazine , one is the constant reminder of the male gaze and the barrage of in your face sex sells that is one way of looking at it to active readers, passive however could see it as a mag that helps you better yourself and become more sexually confident
N
Lots of informal writing and headlines that are mind grabbers but don't talk about important things.
HEAT MAGAZINE
Plans key points
Laura Mulvey- male gaze
Historical/ soocial from shep- woman not always represented like they are in todays industry
Both- sending out less important messages to society and have captalist ideoliges
M
Light on toned body almost exposing parts of her breasts, is glamorous and sexy dress to go along with Strong happy pose giving off vibe that she is both independent and in control of what she is doing yet still sexy while being this. Positioning on the front cover gives her centre stage and all attention lavished on her as the magazine attempts to grab its audience and mantain that interest, also the way she is looking down on the reader suggest the intention of power the creators are trying to give off . She is centre of the male gaze by the clothes and expressions that connotes loves, happiness and above all glamorous and stylish
I
Cosmopolitan have wides ranges of similar style magazines which would include the same codes, conventions and features including colour, glamour and gossip. They want to embrace this sense of cultural identify amongst their brands by hiring someone like beyonce who gives them an image of what their Target audience aspire to be, these features of what they aspire to be match the institutions characteristics for being stylish sophistaced and sexy.
G
Female gossip, advice, and fashion magazine that helps its target audience personally rather than professionally in some areas like questionnaires and question and answer sessions, the magazines layout suggests these by their laid back informal narrative
R
Representing young, nice looking and above all successful females that have already established themselves in their particular industry.
A
Primary audience would be young girls aspiring to be like beyonce and go into the music or fashion industry and eventually become successful, their is also a possibly a secondary audience of middle aged woman wanting to remain youthful or need help finding ways to please their men as the cover displays different individual helping articles for women. The class ranges from A to C2 with the only difference between the classes being the confidence each women has about buying and taking notes from the magazine.
I
Two ideologies can be give off when viewing the Cosmo magazine , one is the constant reminder of the male gaze and the barrage of in your face sex sells that is one way of looking at it to active readers, passive however could see it as a mag that helps you better yourself and become more sexually confident
N
Lots of informal writing and headlines that are mind grabbers but don't talk about important things.
HEAT MAGAZINE
M
Like Cosmo this magazine is informal and only after celebrities stories to attract their audience, on their front cover they display 3 big Hollywood females that are positioned in the centre a with smiles on their faces suggesting the aura of power and success that they have gained. They use these 3 to pull in target audiences who are interested in hairstyle and make up and use them as role models for what the target audience should aspire to be due to thier fame and popularity By using 3 big female stars it sends out a message of "I've made it and if you be like me you can make it too" . In addition they show 3 exclusives within the media industry to draw attention n to perhaps a secondary source who aren't into their main subject of hairstyling , by giving them sneak previews of whats inside it draws the readers into it making them want to purchase it and read on.
I
This in similarity to Cosmo is a very strongly based feminine magazine as it has aspects that females like and can relate to such as body parts something which women tend to dwell and make a bigger deal of and gossip. This relates to Shep and the historical and social concept that women care much more about their appearance then males do.
G
This genre is celeb culture dominated and female biased as well with the lack of males on the cover. Hugh grant gets a section in the corner while the man behind little Moe from Easterners is only in the background of the centre staged actress.
R
Represents celebrities as glossy friendly and role models this is why they have been all put on the magazine with smiling poses giving off happy and cheerful impressions
A
The audience for this magazine will probably be teenagers of 14 to young women aged 26/27 who want to know about fashion and the latest happenings in the celeb world as they might want to be in that industry one day. Their class will be from B, C1, C2 to D, some Bs will still be interested in what is happening despite them being see as generally smarter than the classes below.
I
The values and ideologies posed by the magazine our that celeb culture is important to young girls in trying to shape them up into being young women, with the female celebs being the role models to lead the way for them
N
Even more informal then Cosmo as they attempt to dumb down their narrative to try and reach out to lower class audiences
Plans key points
Laura Mulvey- male gaze
Historical/ soocial from shep- woman not always represented like they are in todays industry
Both- sending out less important messages to society and have captalist ideoliges
Thursday, 25 September 2008
Instituiton - ITV
ITV is the biggest commercial television network in the UK, broadcasting the most talked about television and making a major contribution to the UK’s culture, economy and communities. The ITV Network is made up of 15 regional licences, providing television to viewers across the UK. 11 of the licences in England and Wales are owned by ITV Plc, formed in 2004 following the merger of Carlton and Granada. SMG owns the two Scottish licences, Scottish Television and Grampian; UTV and Channel Television own the licences for Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands respectively.
ITV Network is responsible for the commissioning, scheduling and marketing of network programmes on ITV1. Programmes from ITV are provided by ITV’s in house production unit and by the independent sector. Network programming covers a full range of genres, including drama, entertainment, news, current affairs factual, sport and children’s programming. This ensures that viewers right across the UK are able to share in viewing some of the UK’s favourite programmes. It is also responsible for advertising sales on ITV1 across the UK.
The obligations placed on ITV by the communications regulator Ofcom are contained in our licences to broadcast. For more information about each of the licences that make up the ITV
ITV plc also owns the digital channel portfolio - ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, CiTV. ITV Plc also provides a range of new media and interactive services via the internet, mobile phones and broadband
History timeline of ITV
1969
TV Services founded. Black and white only. Didn't switch to a full-color NTSC facilityuntil the mid 70s.
1978
It changed from 1" reel-to-reel analog videotape format to ¾" U-Matic analog format.
1985
ITV added satellite downlink facilities to record programs from all over the world. Graphics changed to become all electronic. Originally graphics were produced by hand by the graphics department and shot with a camera.
1986
On Feb. 3, ITV went on the air for cable TV with the first program. Only aired four hours a day on one channel.
1988
They acquired a second channel from the Montgomery County government.
1991
Studio and field cameras changed from pickup-tube based to CCD-based (charge-coupled device/solid state).
1993
ITV began with a DOS-based computer and green monochrome screen at our desks.
1997
Editing made a major change from tape-based linear (machine-to-machine) to computer-based nonlinear.
1999
Playback of programs changed from old ¾" U-matic analog tape to a robotic DVCPro digital tape-based system and will soon change partially to a digital playout server later this summer in 2003. We now transmit our programs on the air to Comcast Cable via fiber optic cable on Channels 33 and 34; previously we transmitted using RF coax on Channels 52 and 60.
2001
ITV now had better computers and began streaming programs from the web.
2002
Now using third-generation CCD cameras. ITV have DVD record and playback capabilities. This is useful for archiving programs and providing opportunities in the immediate future for DVD authoring of programs.
2004
Media storage and archiving, previously tape-based, migrated to a digital server.
2005
Adds additional state-of-the-art Final Cut Pro Editing Suites. Creates a family friendly, Saturday children’s line-up of programs called MCPS Kids!
2006
Technological and creative improvements in our studio and control room allow ITV to create awaard winning t.v programs for Montgomery County Public Schools.
The texts that ITV brooadcast include
England highlights
Dancing on ice
Corronation street
X factor
Emmerdale
ITV News
ITV Network is responsible for the commissioning, scheduling and marketing of network programmes on ITV1. Programmes from ITV are provided by ITV’s in house production unit and by the independent sector. Network programming covers a full range of genres, including drama, entertainment, news, current affairs factual, sport and children’s programming. This ensures that viewers right across the UK are able to share in viewing some of the UK’s favourite programmes. It is also responsible for advertising sales on ITV1 across the UK.
The obligations placed on ITV by the communications regulator Ofcom are contained in our licences to broadcast. For more information about each of the licences that make up the ITV
ITV plc also owns the digital channel portfolio - ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, CiTV. ITV Plc also provides a range of new media and interactive services via the internet, mobile phones and broadband
History timeline of ITV
1969
TV Services founded. Black and white only. Didn't switch to a full-color NTSC facilityuntil the mid 70s.
1978
It changed from 1" reel-to-reel analog videotape format to ¾" U-Matic analog format.
1985
ITV added satellite downlink facilities to record programs from all over the world. Graphics changed to become all electronic. Originally graphics were produced by hand by the graphics department and shot with a camera.
1986
On Feb. 3, ITV went on the air for cable TV with the first program. Only aired four hours a day on one channel.
1988
They acquired a second channel from the Montgomery County government.
1991
Studio and field cameras changed from pickup-tube based to CCD-based (charge-coupled device/solid state).
1993
ITV began with a DOS-based computer and green monochrome screen at our desks.
1997
Editing made a major change from tape-based linear (machine-to-machine) to computer-based nonlinear.
1999
Playback of programs changed from old ¾" U-matic analog tape to a robotic DVCPro digital tape-based system and will soon change partially to a digital playout server later this summer in 2003. We now transmit our programs on the air to Comcast Cable via fiber optic cable on Channels 33 and 34; previously we transmitted using RF coax on Channels 52 and 60.
2001
ITV now had better computers and began streaming programs from the web.
2002
Now using third-generation CCD cameras. ITV have DVD record and playback capabilities. This is useful for archiving programs and providing opportunities in the immediate future for DVD authoring of programs.
2004
Media storage and archiving, previously tape-based, migrated to a digital server.
2005
Adds additional state-of-the-art Final Cut Pro Editing Suites. Creates a family friendly, Saturday children’s line-up of programs called MCPS Kids!
2006
Technological and creative improvements in our studio and control room allow ITV to create awaard winning t.v programs for Montgomery County Public Schools.
The texts that ITV brooadcast include
England highlights
Dancing on ice
Corronation street
X factor
Emmerdale
ITV News
Saturday, 20 September 2008
Chinese reject newest TV star as too pretty for ugly role
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder - but so, it appears, is ugliness. A Chinese television company seemed to be striking a blow for the unsightly when it announced it would screen its own version of Ugly Betty.
But now "Ugly Wudi" faces a backlash, with newspapers and internet users complaining that the star of the show is too good-looking for the role.
The story of a smart, kind but defiantly unattractive girl struggling through an appearance-obsessed world has proven international appeal. The Colombian telenovela quickly spawned remakes in Russia, Germany, India and the United States.
Hunan Television's version goes on air next week. According to the Oriental Morning Post, one of the cast had said that Ugly Wudi was so "extremely ugly" he did not have the words to describe it.
But when the show's star appeared for her first press conference yesterday, "many thought she was in fact a beauty" behind her braces and frumpy clothes. The Information Times added indignantly: "Lin Wudi is much less ugly than Betty."
The actor - who is not revealing her name - claimed the show would speak for every unattractive woman, adding: "It is telling us you don't need to worry for [even] a girl that is ugly can do it."
But she undermined her own argument somewhat when she assured reporters that she looked worse on screen.
"I worried that in the show I was too ugly for you to accept, so I made up a little," she explained.
Her agent said she prepared for the role by putting on 10kg and sunbathing to get a tan. Pale skin is highly prized in China and skin whitening products are a huge industry.
Her efforts did not impress potential viewers. By early afternoon almost 3,300 comments on the show had been posted on the popular Baidu website - many suggesting that the actress was too attractive, and even arguing the programme should be renamed "Pretty Wudi".
"The actress should be fatter," said one disgruntled comment.
Another argued: "Isn't that hypocritical to use pretty women to play ugly girls?"
But a third comment said the choice merely reflected society, adding: "If they really use an ugly girl to play her, who will give her a chance?"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media
EastEnders paedophile storyline draws 200 complaints
More than 200 complaints have been made about an EastEnders storyline in which a paedophile grooms his 15-year-old stepdaughter.
The BBC said it had been contacted by 177 people since the plot began on Friday night, with 163 of those making complaints, while media regulator Ofcom said it had received 41 complaints.
The ongoing storyline features the grooming of character Bianca Jackson's stepdaughter Whitney Dean by her stepfather Tony King, played by Chris Coghill.
In Friday's episode of the BBC1 soap, King arrived in Albert Square after spending a year in jail and was shown passionately kissing the underage girl, played by Shona McGarty.
Viewers saw him sneak into her bedroom while Bianca, played by Patsy Palmer, took a bath.
The pair kissed before falling onto the teenager's bed.
A peak audience of 8 million viewers watched the pre-watershed show.
The BBC defended the plot, saying it had been created in association with the NSPCC and was in accordance with its editorial policy.
A BBC spokesman said: "EastEnders has a rich heritage of tackling difficult social issues such as domestic violence and mental health.
"Our current storyline about child abuse is another such issue which had been created in association with the NSPCC and in accordance with BBC editorial policy."
At the end of August, the BBC received 156 complaints over scenes showing character Jase Dyer being attacked by a criminal gang and then lying dead in hospital.
At the time, the BBC said the violence was "implied rather than explicit" but admitted some viewers had found the scenes "uncomfortable".
Steve ballmer interview
Microsoft is about to roll out new versions of Windows and Office. On the day he unveiled a bold $500 million marketing campaign to challenge IBM in the corporate tech market, the affable and energetic Ballmer, 50, bounded into FORTUNE's offices to discuss what Sony's troubles mean for the Xbox 360 game system, the future of advertising and why his kids shun iPods.
You guys took some heat for Xbox shortages over Christmas, but now Sony says its PlayStation 3 will be delayed until November. Did you pop a cork?
We weren't unhappy. In every other generation, the first guy to ten million consoles became the No. 1 seller. Did we just get an even better opportunity to be the first guy to ten million? Yeah, of course we did.
What might get your stock moving?
We've got companies like AT&T and verzion driving this Internet television stuff very aggressively. If you can get a few bucks a month on a lot of televisions around the world, that's a pretty darn big opportunity. Same thing for Windows Mobile, where we're a negligible player but we have real market traction for the first time. The stuff we announced today has quite a nice growth profile. Frankly, our competition in the business market is more absent than not.
Did time warner made a mistake by selling a stake in AOL to Google instead of to you?
AOL is not making any investment in the future of the media and advertising business. [AOL would respectfully disagree.] It ceded that to Google. The argument I made is that some media company--as opposed to just Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo--should've cared enough to make the bet as well. Will anybody be selling newspaper ads in ten years? Or will they all get sold out of these online marketplaces? Even TV advertising. Who is better to deliver an ad, a computer that knows about you and can target you, or an ad sales guy who's walking around?
Do you have an iPod?
No, I do not. Nor do my children. My children--in many dimensions they're as poorly behaved as many other children, but at least on this dimension I've got my kids brainwashed: You don't use Google, and you don't use an iPod.
Think you can you crack the iPod market?
It's going to take an innovative proposition. In five years are people really going to carry two devices? One device that is their communication device, one device that is music? There's going to be a lot of opportunities to get back in that game. We want to be in that game. Expect to see announcements from us in that area in the next 12 months. 
Steve Ballmer
Steven A. Ballmer is Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft . Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 and was the first business manager hired by Bill Gates . Since then, Ballmer’s leadership and passion have become hallmarks of his tenure at the company.
During the past 20 years, Ballmer has headed several Microsoft divisions, including operations, operating systems development, and sales and support. In July 1998, he was promoted to President, a role that gave him day-to-day responsibility for running Microsoft. He was named CEO in January 2000, assuming full management responsibility for the company, which includes delivering on the company’s mission of enabling people and businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential.
Together with Gates and the company’s other business and technical leaders, Ballmer is focused on continuing Microsoft’s innovation and leadership across the company’s seven businesses. Microsoft’s goal is to provide an integrated platform to enable a seamless experience across a wide range of computing and non-PC devices and services.
Variously described as ebullient, focused, funny, passionate, sincere, hard-charging and dynamic, Ballmer has infused Microsoft with his own brand of energetic leadership, vision and spirit over the years.
Ballmer was born in March 1956, and grew up near Detroit, where his father worked as a manager at Ford Motor Co. He graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics. While in college, Ballmer managed the football team, worked on the Harvard Crimson newspaper as well as the university literary magazine, and lived down the hall from fellow sophomore Bill Gates. After college, he worked for two years at Procter & Gamble Co. as an assistant product manager and, before joining Microsoft, attended Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
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