Friends: too friendly?

I am a Friends fanatic. I would estimate I have seen each episode at least 5 times, I can quote along with the characters, and I’m on Rachel’s side in the “we were on a break” argument.

One of the reasons I have been able to become so familiar with the show is because for the last few years Channel 90 (GEM) has been playing repeats from 6pm-7pm, and more recently, from 6.30pm-7.30pm.

The show is incredibly popular, and was initially broadcast in an 8.30pm timeslot in the late 1990s to early 2000s. As it revolves around a group of 20somethings, the content can often be very mature in nature, and frequently addresses sex, sexual acts and pornography, with some adult language also used.

Owing to this, it’s position in a 6.30pm timeslot has definitely raised eyebrows, as has it’s PG rating.

Furthermore, technically showing the program at 6pm or 6.30pm on a school day is in breach of the ACMA code of conduct, which states that only G rated content can be shown between 4pm-7pm.

The show is a great example of how community standards have changed over a period of 20 years, and therefore how important it is for television stations to be continually investigating and collating data around the public’s perceptions.

It also demonstrates how lax stations are becoming when policing the issue internally, as they have allowed this to occur for many years.

Let us know what you think below; should GEM be punished? Have community standards changed that dramatically? And do you think Friends’ PG rating is justified?