Viewers say graphic violence on post-watershed TV is now the 'norm'... but portrayal of sex has become fairer to women

Viewers opportunity schematic unit is now nan 'norm' connected post-watershed TV - but they judge nan portrayal of activity connected TV has go fairer to women, a caller study has found.

The findings of an Ofcom study into assemblage attitudes revealed that viewers deliberation that convulsive scenes person go 'more intense', 'more frequent' and are 'embedded' successful shows that aerial aft 9pm.

Meanwhile, nan emergence of services specified arsenic Netflix were seen to person 'significantly accrued nan magnitude and grade of schematic worldly available', pinch audiences emotion different broadcasters whitethorn person travel nether 'indirect pressure' to 'dial up' their ain big contented to compete.

Bosses astatine nan media regulator said location was a 'greater feeling' now that immoderate post-watershed bid specified arsenic nan BBC's Peaky Blinders and Sky's Game of Thrones were 'very violent'.

But nan study suggested that what it came to showing activity connected screen, this was seen to person 'improved' and 'modernised' successful caller years pinch little of an 'exclusively' antheral position and 'greater attraction connected female intersexual empowerment'.

The reappraisal moreover cited nan deed BBC show Normal People, saying viewers appreciated nan show because it depicted 'realistic and healthy, consensual sex' and felt nan activity scenes showed nan 'warm and loving quality of nan relationship'.

However, viewers besides felt shows for illustration Love Island were contributing to a 'new shape of sexualised intermezo content', which was portion of a 'major shift'. There were concerns programme makers were 'pushing nan boundaries of acceptability' to triumph viewers.

Ofcom's report, called Audience Attitudes to Violence and Sexual Content connected Television, besides said that TV soap operas 'could nary longer beryllium relied upon for safe family viewing'.

It said this type of show, which includes Coronation Street and EastEnders, were regarded arsenic having 'followed nan wide inclination for accrued unit and intersexual content'.

When it came to portrayals of unit successful TV, nan study said: 'There was a consciousness that convulsive contented was now nan norm and embedded successful mainstream post-watershed programming.

'The unit shown was besides seen to person go much graphic, aggravated and realistic.'

But nan perceived betterment successful nan portrayal of intersexual relationships was shown successful nan measurement they were seen arsenic 'less apt to see stereotypes aliases uncritical examples of objectification aliases exploitation' than successful nan past.

The study said: 'In addition, participants felt that nan lens done which intersexual scenes were portrayed was little apt to beryllium an exclusively antheral one, pinch an expanding interest for consent and a greater attraction connected female intersexual empowerment.

'More modern contented could besides beryllium seen to beforehand assemblage positivity and promote affirmative conversations astir intersexual relationships.'