Support For Teenage Magazines’ Age Guidelines

CIA MediaLab’s latest Sensor survey has revealed that 73% of Britain’s adults believe that teenage magazines should display reading age guidelines. The news follows the proposals to introduce a “parental guidance” system for teenage magazines from Tory MP Peter Luff, as the Home Office plans to issue a warning to magazine editors.

The over-25s, not surprisingly, are the most likely to approve of the idea, 76%, although it is supported by the majority of 15-24 year olds (59%.) Just 34% of 15-24 year olds disagree with the idea, compared to 19% of adults overall. 41% of respondents agree that such titles have become too explicit. Thirteen percent disagree and 46% are indifferent or don’t know.

Anthony Jones commented, “Although feelings are mixed on whether the content of teenage magazines is too explicit, the public apparently supports the idea of classifying these titles by age. However, any move in this direction must be considered very carefully if it is not to be counter-productive by making titles more attractive to ‘under-age’ readers.”

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