Censorship

CENSORSHIP OF WORDS

In order to allow songs to be played wherever possible, it is common to censor particular words. Some music labels or artists produce censored versions themselves, sometimes with alternative lyrics, to comply with the rules set by various radio and television programs. Some stations decide to censor them themselves using one of several methods:

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• Repeating; repeating the word just said before the explicit word was used.

• Skipping; deleting the word from the song without a time delay.

• Echo; instead of saying a word, it echoes the last word(s) said in the line.

Blanking; when the volume is muted for all or part of the word.

Bleeping; playing a noise, usually a "beep", over all or part of the word.

In 2009, Britney Spears' single "if you seek amy" sparked controversy in the United States due to the implications of the title. When sung fast, as Spears does in the song, the words "if you seek Amy" appear to sound different. The song was censored in the United States and retitled as "If U See Amy", removing the "k". However, the song went uncensored in most other nations. In the United Kingdom, the song was retitled "Amy" . This is the version that has been played on BBC Radio 1 and most other radio stations in England.

In many songs, the word "ass" is usually censored when it is used as an assault or sexually, usually by distorting the word, or silencing part or the whole word.

In less extreme cases even some words like, in Rihanna's "unfaithful", some stations censor the word "gun",

CENSORSHIP OF IMAGES

In 2000 Robbie Williams’s video for “Rock DJ” caused controversy as it showed him naked and peeling off his own skin revealing flesh. This was banned in the Dominican Republic and censored in the UK for purely shocking and disturbing imagery to the public and in particular the younger generation

In 2002 Russian band T.A.T.U caused controversy with “All The Things She Said” it showed the girls embracing and eventually kissing. Richard and Judy the television presenters began a campaign to have the video banned as they thought it would be highly appealing to pedophiles with the use of school uniforms and young girls kissing. The kiss was also choreographed into the girls live performance and when they appeared on Top of the Pops the kiss was replaced by audience footage so that it was not shown on television.