TV soaps to carry warnings

The Independent Television Commission - which regulates all channels except the BBC - said there now needs to be more information to flag-up disturbing scenes.

Steve Perkins, ITC controller of advertising and programme complaints, said: 'For children, the seen consequences of a violent action can be enough for them to deem it "violent". Producers need to consider the emotional impact beyond what's literally seen.'

An ITC spokesman added: 'Broadcasters can't claim ignorance any more.'

Stephen Whittle, BBC controller of editorial policy, said broadcasters were already researching how they can put warnings on screen automatically. He said the BBC was looking into using digital technology that will 'embed' information about a show's content.

When a programme is selected via a digital TV's onscreen electronic programme guide, warnings of violent scenes will be flashed up.

'It's a question of providing more information so parents can make a judgment about whether the material they let their children see is material they feel comfortable with,' said Mr Whittle.

'We're going to have to use more sober language to be absolutely factual about the kind of warning we give about a programme.'

The study - carried out by the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the ITC, the British Board of Film Classification and the BBC - surveyed-children aged nine to 13 and asked them to keep diaries of their viewing.

It's the first time UK regulators have reviewed how children interpret television violence and was carried out because 'there has been little research' on the subject.

It also found that many youngsters are watching shows after the watershed. They include BBC1's Crimewatch UK and films such as gory war epic Saving Private Ryan and cannibal thriller Hannibal.

The children were also shown clips from pre-watershed programmes such as EastEnders, Holby City and Grange Hill.

Shockingly, they did not regard the fights and physical confrontations as violent.

Their comments included: 'It's just TV', 'It's part of soaps, people beating people up' and 'It has to happen in soap operas'.

But they were disturbed by an EastEnders episode in which hardman Phil Mitchell threatened teenager Sonia Jackson and then attacked her boyfriend Jamie - mostly because Jamie was a member of Phil's own family.

A children's drama called Behind Closed Doors - in which a boy is beaten up offscreen by his stepfather - was also rated one of the most frightening, even though the abuse was not seen, said the report's author Andrea Millwood Hargrave.

Tory culture spokesman John Whittingdale said: ' Children's imaginations are vivid and they will be able to imagine what happens further than what's depicted on screen.

'This study shows we should not relax our concerns about violence. I strongly support the idea of more warnings.'

In July, the BSC revealed that viewers - angered by the rise in sex, violence and bad language on television - complained about a record number of programmes last year, particularly soaps.

'Complaints about soaps in general increased, particularly the number we received about EastEnders, Coronation Street and The Bill,' said a spokesman.