KEY POINTS:
More material than ever was classified by the Office of Film and Literature Classification in the past year, up 9 per cent from the previous year's record.
The office examined and classified 2821 publications, according to its 2008 annual report, released yesterday.
Sexual exploitation of children again topped the list of banned material, making up 49 per cent of banned publications.
The office banned 16 per cent of the publications it classified, restricted 72 per cent and classified 12 per cent as unrestricted.
Chief censor Bill Hastings said there was a large increase in submissions from the police of
computer moving and non-moving images, and twice as many publications of this nature were classified objectionable as last year.
The office also carried out research with the Broadcasting Standards Authority of audience perceptions of violent content in films, DVDs, TV, the internet and mobile phones.
Mr Hastings said the research findings underlined the importance of the present classification system in assisting the public to make informed viewing choices.
The Classification Act requires the Office of Film and Literature Classification to minimise the risk to society caused by the unrestricted availability of publications depicting matters such as sex, horror, crime, cruelty and violence.
The publications of most interest to members of the public and the media during the year were the feature film Hostel II, the digital game Grand Theft Auto IV and book The Peaceful Pill Handbook (New Revised International Edition).
The Peaceful Pill Handbook - a euthanasia how-to guide - was banned last year after the office found that it encouraged criminal activity instead of simply offering advice and advocating law reform as its authors claimed.
- NZPA