Live XXX Babes, 31 March 2010, 22:00 to 23.00
Live XXX Babes, 1 April 2010, 22:00 to 22:24
Sport XXX Babes, 3 April 2010, 22:00 to 02:00
Northern Birds, 11 April 2010, 22:30 to 23:00
Sport XXX Babes, 16 May 2010, 21:00 to 21:30
Sport XXX Babes, 19 May 2010, 00:00 to 01:00 to 09:00

Live XXX Babes, Sports XXX Babes and Northern Birds are free to air Babe Channels. Each service has a separate licence but all three licences are owned and complied by Satellite Entertainment Limited.

As a result of its concerns about compliance in this sector, Ofcom conducts monitoring exercises of daytime and adult sex chat channels.

Ofcom noted the usual complaints about the Babe Channels eg:

Live XXX Babes,(Sky Channel 950) 31 March 2010, 22:00 to 23:00

During this programme, a female presenter was wearing a leather dress that exposed her breasts, a skimpy thong and fishnet stockings. She adopted various sexual positions. These included on all fours with her buttocks to camera and on her back with her legs wide open. While in these positions the presenter carried out a number of sexual acts including miming and simulating masturbation, by rubbing and touching her crotch and anus over her skimpy thong which at times revealed her labial contours. She also licked her fingers and touched around the edges of her labia and pulled on her thong to bunch it into her crotch and reveal her genital contours. At times the camera zoomed in between the presenter's wide open legs in intrusive detail.

Ofcom considered Code Rules:

• 2.1 (the broadcaster must apply generally accepted standards)
• 2.3 (offensive material must be justified by context) from SEL in relation to the following broadcasts:

Ofcom Decision: Breach of rules 2.1 & 2.3

In terms of the content of all these broadcasts, Ofcom considered the sexual images shown to be strong and capable of causing offence. During all six broadcasts detailed above, the presenters positioned themselves in front of the camera with legs wide apart and on all fours with buttocks in full view for prolonged periods of time. Given the fact that all presenters pulled their underwear tightly against their genital area so as to bunch the material, and the images were sometimes filmed close up, there were numerous occasions when outer labial and anal detail was shown in intrusive detail. In addition, during all broadcasts the presenters in each individual programme appeared to mime masturbation at various points in the broadcasts, by touching around their genital and anal areas and sometimes simulate masturbation by rubbing their underwear vigorously against their genitals and touching or stroking the crotch in a sexual manner.

Given the strength of the sexual nature of the content, available on a channel without mandatory restricted access, we considered that the broadcaster did not apply generally acceptable standards and the material was not contextually justified. These broadcasts therefore breached Rules 2.1 and 2.3 of the Code.

Ofcom is concerned in particular, that the broadcast on Sport XXX Babes on 16 May was transmitted from 21:00. This strong sexual content, of an equally similar nature to that shown after 22:00 on the other channels detailed, included the presenter revealing her breasts and genital and anal detail, simulating masturbation and inserting her fingers into her mouth to mime oral sex. Rule 1.6 makes clear that the strongest material should appear later in the schedule and that the transition to more adult material should not be unduly abrupt at the watershed of 21:00. The degree of offence likely to be caused by viewing this material was therefore considered greater than after 22:00 given the insufficient context. Ofcom concluded that this content was clearly not justified by the context and, in addition to breaching generally accepted standards also contravened Rule 1.6.

It is Ofcom's view that these breaches are serious. In particular, Ofcom is concerned by the apparent repeated nature of these breaches. Ofcom is therefore putting the Licensee on notice that further repeated contraventions of the Code of a similar nature will be considered for the imposition of a statutory sanction.

Early Bird
Tease Me TV (Freeview)
3 June 2010, 05:45 to 06.30 and 08:00 to 09:00

Ofcom received two complaints about the above broadcast. The complainants were concerned that the material was too sexual to be broadcast in the daytime and that the presenter's skimpy outfit and movements were inappropriate for a young audience who might be watching television on this free to air service on the Freeview platform.

The female presenter was wearing a very skimpy string/lace bra that barely covered her nipples, a thong with a string back and stockings and suspenders. During the broadcast the presenter adopted various sexual positions for periods of time including: on her side with her legs open; on her back with her legs open; and, on all fours with her hips raised. While in these positions she repeatedly stroked and touched her body, buttocks and breasts, wiggled and thrust her hips in a sexually provocative way. At one time she also stood up and danced briefly to the camera. On occasions the camera focused in on various parts of her body.

Ofcom considered Rule 1.3 (children must be protected from unsuitable material by appropriate scheduling).

Ofcom Decision: Breach of Rule 1.3

In Ofcom's view the very skimpy clothing of the presenter combined with her repeated and sexualised actions and behaviour were intended to be sexually provocative in nature and the broadcast of such images was not suitable to promote daytime chat.

18 Keen
Tease Me
10 June 2010, 21:30 to 22:30

Ofcom received a complaint that the content was too sexually explicit to be broadcast at around 21:30. The complainant referred to the underwear the two presenters were wearing and that they were performing sex acts on each other.

Ofcom noted that the broadcast featured two female presenters on an unmade single bed in a bedroom setting. They were both initially wearing bras and knickers and one presenter's knickers were made of see through material. The presenters removed their bras during their act. At various times, the presenters adopted sexual positions including: on all fours with their bottoms close to camera; lying on their backs with legs open to camera; one presenter between the legs of the other; on their knees with one presenter behind the other one; and one presenter sat over the other presenter's breasts. While in these positions they rubbed each other's bare breasts and nipples, thrust and moved their hips in a sexualised manner as if miming intercourse, and spanked and stroked each other's buttocks. They also licked their fingers and rubbed the inside of their upper thighs in a sexualised way.

Ofcom considered:

• Rule 2.1 (the broadcaster must apply generally accepted standards)
• Rule 2.3 (offensive material must be justified by context).

Ofcom Decision

In this case, Ofcom considered that the material shown (including the presenters stroking and rubbing each other.s naked breasts) was provided for the purposes of sexual arousal in order to elicit PRS calls. For the reasons set out above, this material was too strong to be shown so soon after the watershed and was clearly not justified by the context.

This broadcast was therefore in breach of Rules 2.1 and 2.3 of the Code.

Further Sanctions

As a result of the serious and repeated nature of the breaches recorded previously, Bang Channels and Bang Media have already been put on notice that these contraventions of the Code are being considered for statutory sanction. Consideration of this statutory sanction is in addition to the sanction already imposed on Bang Media .

Bang Babes
Tease Me TV 2, 22 May 2010, 03:35 to 04:00

Bang Babes is a programme on the adult sex chat television service Tease Me TV 2. Tease Me TV 2 is broadcast under a licence held by Playboy TV UK/Benelux Limited. Playboy therefore has compliance responsibility for all programmes broadcast on that service, including Bang Babes.

The service is a free to air babe channel in which female presenters dress and behave in a sexually provocative way while encouraging viewers to contact the PRS numbers.

Ofcom received a complaint from a viewer who said that the broadcast included prolonged and repeated close up graphic and intrusive images of vaginal and anal detail. The complainant also said the broadcast showed masturbation throughout.

Ofcom noted that between 03:30 and 04:00, the broadcast included a female presenter wearing a yellow bikini top (which was pulled to the side to reveal her breasts) and a matching thong. During the broadcast she adopted various sexual positions for relatively prolonged periods of time, including bending over on all fours with her buttocks to camera and lying on her back with her legs spread wide open to camera. While in these positions the presenter's anal and labial area was shown in close up and extensive detail. Throughout the broadcast the presenter repeatedly: rubbed her genital area with her fingers; rubbed her thong against her genitals; pulled her buttocks apart to reveal her anus; sucked her fingers to mimic performing oral sex on a man; and rubbed saliva over her breasts.

Ofcom considered:

• Rule 1.18 ('Adult sex material' - material that contains images and/or language of a strong sexual nature which is broadcast for the primary purpose of sexual arousal or stimulation - must not be broadcast at any time other than between 2200 and 0530 on premium subscription services and pay per view/night services which operate with mandatory restricted access. In addition, measures must be in place to ensure that the subscriber is an adult
• Rule 2.1 (the broadcaster must apply generally accepted standards)
• Rule 2.3 (offensive material must be justified by context).

Playboy responded saying that having viewed the content, it appears that some of the content was in breach of the Code, for which we apologise. We have recently started taking content from an experienced provider [of adult sex chat material]…much of this content is delivered live, and we have had to install new systems, both technical and procedural, to cope with this product. It explained that there have been some teething troubles, which have led to one or two slipups.

Ofcom Decision

In relation to Rule 1.18, Ofcom examined the content of the broadcast and considered that it contained material of a very strong sexual nature, including graphic and intrusive images of genital and anal detail. For example, during the broadcast the presenter was shown apparently performing masturbation on herself by repeatedly touching her genital area and rubbing her thong against her genitals. In Ofcom's opinion, in this particular case, a viewer could reasonably have perceived the sexual acts as real. The presenter was also shown at various times bending over with her buttocks close up to camera and pulling her buttocks apart to reveal her anus and extensive labial detail. Further, Ofcom took account of the fact that the sequences were, in some cases, relatively prolonged and repeated throughout the 25 minute broadcast. In Ofcom's view, the primary purpose of broadcasting this material was clearly sexual arousal. Given the above, the material was, in Ofcom's view, of a very strong sexual nature. Having assessed these programme.s content and purpose, Ofcom considered that the material broadcast constituted 'adult-sex material. Its broadcast, without mandatory restricted access, was therefore in breach of Rule 1.18 of the Code.

Ofcom then went on to consider whether the broadcast was also in breach of Rules 2.1 and 2.3 of the Code. In light of Ofcom's view that the programme contained material that constituted adult sex material and was therefore unsuitable for broadcast without mandatory restricted access, the broadcast was clearly capable of causing considerable offence.

Given the relatively prolonged and repeated scenes of a very strong sexual nature and the inclusion of graphic images of genital and anal detail (provided for the purpose of sexual arousal), the time of broadcast and location of the channel was not sufficient to justify the broadcast of the material. The material shown was so strongly sexual that it would have exceeded the likely expectation of the vast majority of the nutters watching. Ofcom concluded that the content was clearly not justified by the context and was in breach of generally accepted nutter standards.

Breach of Rules 1.18, 2.1 and 2.3

More than half of older viewers believe television has deteriorated in the past year because of the soaring number of repeats, bad language and violence.

TV censor Ofcom found that 53% of over-65s believe standards have fallen and the quality and range of programmes have worsened.

Almost two thirds of those surveyed said part of their dissatisfaction was down to the increased number of repeats on screens, while a quarter were unhappy with the level of bad language and the variety of shows available.

Violence was another reported problem, with 15% saying programmes were using endless fight scenes in a gratuitous manner.

Last year, the five main channels broadcast 30,485 hours of original programming - down almost 8 per cent on 2008, and the lowest level for more than seven years.

For the BBC, EastEnders was one of the most complained about programmes in 2009. Hundreds whinged about its violence.

ITV has repeatedly come under fire for its reliance on big talent search reality shows such as Britain's Got Talent, The X Factor and Dancing on Ice at the expense of original drama and comedy.

Vivienne Pattison, director of nutter group MediaWatch-UK, said: There has been an erosion of the watershed in recent years, with people seeing more and more inappropriate scenes before 9pm.