Introduction to TMAP's Guidelines for coverage of sexual subject matter in teenage magazines

1.1 The guidelines are the outcome of discussions between publishers of teenage magazines (represented through the Periodical Publishers Association [PPA]), retailers of teenage magazines (represented by, among others, the British Retail Consortium [BRC], National Federation of Retail Newsagents [NFRN], the Multiple Newsagents Association [MNA]) and magazine editors (represented by the British Society of Magazine Editors [BSME]).

1.2 The guidelines cover the editorial content of teenage magazines. The final arbiter of the meaning and interpretation of the Guidelines is the Teenage Magazine Arbitration Panel (TMAP), to whom any complaints relating to alleged infractions of the Guidelines should be addressed.

1.3 There is a separate code of practice relating to advertisements, which is produced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which is the final arbiter in the meaning of the code of practice. The ASA deals with complaints about advertisement content.

1.4 The guidelines apply to magazines published more than once a year when it is apparent that young women aged under 16 comprise 25 per cent or more of the total readership.

1.5 A list of such titles will be drawn up on the basis of the latest available figures over a 12 month period, using the reports of the Youth Target Group Index survey (Youth TGI) or other figures or bases accepted by the TMAP.

A full copy of the guidelines (in PDF format) can be downloaded by clicking here.

Contact: Kerry Neilson , TMAP secretariat, kerry.neilson@ppa.co.uk, 0207 400 7520

Teenage Magazine Arbitration Panel (TMAP)
28 Kingsway
London WC2B 6JR

tel: 0207 400 7520 - fax: 020 7404 4167 - email: kerry.neilson@ppa.co.uk - web: www.tmap.org.uk -

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