Satellite X News

GirlGirl
ChatGirl TV (Sky Channel 937), 22 August 2012, 07:30 to 08:30

GirlGirl is a segment of interactive adult chat advertising content broadcast on the licensed service known as ChatGirl TV (Sky Channel 937). The service is freely available without mandatory restricted access and is situated in the adult section of the Sky electronic programme guide ( Sky EPG ). Viewers are invited to contact on- screen presenters via premium rate telephony services ( PRS ). The female presenters dress and behave in a sexually provocative way while encouraging viewers to contact the PRS numbers.

The licence for ChatGirl TV is owned and operated by Playboy UK TV.

Ofcom received a complaint that content on this service, broadcast between 07:30 and 08:30, contained sexual images that were too strong to be shown at this time.

Ofcom noted that the advertising content featured a female presenter on screen wearing a leopard skin print one piece outfit which consisted of a thin piece of material, covering her breasts but not her torso, under which she wore a black bra which covered the majority of her breasts. Over the top of the leopard print one piece outfit she wore skimpy black hot pants which revealed some of the buttock. She also wore black stockings which she rolled up and down intermittently.

From 07:30 the presenter adopted one particular position: she lay on her front gently thrusting and rocking her buttocks up and down and from side to side (albeit away from camera). While making these movements she rubbed and stroked her buttocks and upper thighs. On a few occasions the presenter varied her position: lying on her side, opening her legs (albeit away from camera) and gently rocking her body backwards and forwards. In addition, the presenter made several invitations to callers to telephone her. These included her saying:

I'm helping you get up today boys in my stockings. I also have my boots today very close by... [I]f you want my boots putting on all you have to do is say the word and they will get on my long legs ; come and get me ; have some fun on this bed ; you boys should give me a good work out! ; what are you waiting for boys? and want a bit of fun on my bed right now?

Ofcom considered this material raised issues warranting investigation under BCAP Code Rule 32.3, which states:

Relevant timing restrictions must be applied to advertisements that, through their content, might harm or distress children of particular ages or that are otherwise unsuitable for them.

Playboy TV said it viewed the material and confirmed that the Licensee considered the broadcast an unfortunate blip on our compliance record and that it immediately took steps to prevent a recurrence. The Licensee stated that with all live programming there is always a small chance of content airing that strays close to the limits of the Code and that it took all such issues seriously and would do all it could to prevent them.

Ofcom Decision: Breach of Rule 32.3

Ofcom noted that the female presenter was wearing clothing that did not adequately cover her body, in particularly high cut hot pants that exposed some of her buttock. While wearing this outfit, the presenter acted in a sexualised manner: she was shown lying on her stomach for prolonged periods of time, repeatedly and clearly gyrating and thrusting her buttocks so as to mimic sexual intercourse (albeit away from camera). She also touched, rubbed and stroked her upper thighs, legs and buttocks in a sexually suggestive manner and invited callers to contact her in a sexually provocative way. In light of this behaviour and imagery, Ofcom concluded that this material was clearly unsuitable for children.

The broadcast of such sexualised content was inappropriate to advertise adult chat during the day and before the watershed. This broadcast was therefore in breach of BCAP Code Rule 32.3.

In light of this breach and concerns about the Licensee's compliance, Ofcom will be monitoring the Licensee's daytime content for a period of time

Update: Channel Removed

16th December 2012.

Not sure if this is connected to the Ofcom ruling, but the GirlGirl channel (937) has come to an end, and has been taken of the Sky EPG.

An advert for Playboy featuring modest but sexily clad women was banned after it appeared on the side of a lorry parked outside a hotel popular with the elderly in a seaside town.

The van which spotted parked in Ilfracombe, Devon featured pictures of women in seductive poses to advertise Playboy TV Chat.

Playboy was deemed to have overstepped the mark by the advert censor, which claimed the advert to sexually provocative and irresponsible and banned it from appearing in public.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it had received one complaint about the van, which suggested the images were overtly sexual and unsuitable for public display.

Stuart Cox, owner of the Osborne Hotel where the lorry was parked, said:

 We didn't have any problem with it, no-one moaned about it. Our guests were all quite intrigued by it, it was quite funny.

I received a lot of text messages asking if there was a Playboy party at our place and I didn't know what they were referring to until I went outside and saw the lorry.

The girls were scantily clad but you couldn't actually see anything. There's worse stuff you can see.

In its assessment, the ASA claimed:

The ads had the potential to be seen by a large number of people, including children, who were likely to find images of scantily clad women in overtly sexual and provocative poses offensive.

They were likely to cause serious and widespread offence and were irresponsible.

We concluded that the ads were unsuitable for outdoor display and must not appear again in outdoor advertising.

Australia's TV censor has thrown out complaints made against Channel Nine for broadcasting live phone sex content on its infomercial channel.

BabeTV Live went out on Extra in Queensland and regional NSW after 10pm on 8 October, with some viewers complaining that the exploitative and degrading content should have come with a (softcore) R18+ adult rating.

BabeTV Live features two scantily clad female presenters who encourage viewers to call in at a cost of $4.75 per minute, using provocative language and suggestive actions. Before it begins, the message the following program is for ADULTS ONLY appears on screen.

In its findings on its website, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) ruled that BabeTV Live is advertising, since the presenters continually refer to the phone number displayed on the screen, including direct verbal requests to the camera to phone in, using phrases such as 'call me'. Even though BabeTV Live aired for four hours and 43 minutes, ACMA maintained that the content was advertising.

This is considerably longer than the usual duration of a televised advertisement. However, the Act does not specify the minimum or maximum duration of content to qualify as advertising or sponsorship material.

To the point of Nine airing explicit content on Extra, one complaint read:

I would have thought it breaches the general licence conditions that state 'licensees will not transmit datacasting content that has been classified as RC or X18+ by the Classification Board, and that R 18+ must be modified or subject to a restricted access system'. This program is clearly in the 18+ category supported by the fact that you need to be 18+ to participate!

The broadcaster said that BabeLive TV had not been classified because it was live-to-air content -- so the Classification Board could not have seen it before it went to air.

Nine said that BabeLive TV followed MA 15+ guidelines, and had taken steps to ensure this sort of content did not get any racier than material suitable for viewers above the age of 15.

Nine stated its rules for presenters of this sort of content to ACMA:

• They must be wearing no less than bra and panties/swimwear/etc. and no see-through underwear or nipple covers.
• Breast cleavage may be visible but not the whole breast, no nipples and no nipple shadow.
• No pubic hair or nude genital area.
• No nude rear.
• No actual or implied sexual activity between the Presenters.
• May include sexually suggestive touching or position but cannot include the handling, kissing, licking or sucking or sex toys or phallic-like objects.

Nine also said that it had introduced new, stricter rules for presenters, as follows:

• The Presenters must not touch each other at any time, including kissing.
• The Presenters must not mention, talk about or refer to any sexual acts or sexually [suggestive] acts.
• The Presenters must not consume any drink or food on camera.

Even though Nine did not breach any of ACMA's rules, the broadcaster has since stopped airing BabeTV Live.

Dutch TV channel Dusk , which is devoted to providing erotic content to women, plans to roll out globally beginning with the European countries. 2GrapesMedia, the company that owns and operates Dusk, plans to launch the channel before the end of the year in several European countries.

Dusk is available on the platforms of Dutch cable companies Ziggo, UPC, KPN and Caiw, reaching over 1.5 million cable households.

The channel does its own research into what sort of porn they should be showing via a panel made up of over 1.500 women. They are shown snippets of films and asked to rate them according to spiciness . If a film gets over 100 points, it makes the grade and it is shown on the channel.

2GrapesMedia director Martijn Broersma said,

The panel provides us with a lot of knowledge about women and their sexual desires and fantasies, and enables us to be and stay spot-on with our content that is being aired. We are proud to be the first and only one in the world to have this knowledge and to be able to provide the female population with exactly what they want to see. We are here at the Mipcom to show cable and satellite companies from all countries that Dusk! is a true added value to their portfolio, and will lift their Arpu.

The content of Dusk! is a unique and diverse mix of mainly hardcore adult films and scenes, from all over the world but with a female point of view and adult films from Feminist pornography.

Dusk! programms films of female porn directors include Candida Royalle, Petra Joy, Nica Noelle, Erika Lust, Madison Young, Anna Span, Ovidie, Stormy Daniels, and Maria Beatty. Some of these directors make feminist pornography or pornography specifically for a female audience, while others appeal to couples.

Lads' mag Loaded is launching its own TV station, featuring a sitcom described as Open All Hours in a sex shop.

Comedy will be a key strand of the new channel, which is expected to launch on November 1.

Loaded TV is planning to spend £ 2.5million over the next year on content, commercial director Gary Dingwall told trade magazine Broadcast.

Storm Night
Storm (Channel 966), 18 June 2012, 21:00 to 21:30

Storm Night is a segment of interactive adult chat advertising content broadcast on the licensed service known as Storm (Sky Channel 966). The licence for Storm is owned and operated by Live Television Ltd.

Ofcom received a complaint that content on this service, broadcast shortly after the watershed, contained sexual images that were too strong to be shown at this time

Ofcom noted a female presenter on screen wearing a translucent leopard skin print one piece outfit, which clearly showed the presenter's breasts. The outfit was cut away at the sides and back and featured a thong style back. In addition, she wore a black thong, under the one piece outfit, and fishnet stockings. From around 21:15, and until at least 21:30, the presenter adopted various sexual positions: she lay on her side with her legs apart (albeit away from camera) while thrusting her body up and down, stroking her breasts and inner thighs and pulling down her top to reveal her cleavage; she moved onto all fours and thrust her bare buttocks (albeit at an angle slightly away from camera) to mime sexual intercourse; and, she knelt upright on her legs and moved her body up and down to mime sexual intercourse. While adopting these positions her outer genital area was briefly visible.

Ofcom considered BCAP Rule 32.3:

Relevant timing restrictions must be applied to advertisements that, through their content, might harm or distress children of particular ages or that are otherwise unsuitable for them.

Ofcom Decision: Breach of Rule 32.3

On 27 July 2011 Ofcom published revised guidance on the advertising of telecommunications-based sexual entertainment services and PRS daytime chat services. This clearly sets out what Ofcom considers to be acceptable to broadcast on these services post-watershed. In particular, the Chat Service Guidance states that with regard to material broadcast after 21:00 adult chat broadcasters should ensure that:

After 9pm any move towards stronger – but still very restrained – material containing sexual imagery should be gradual and progressive. There should not for example be any miming of sexual acts between 9 and 10pm.

Ofcom noted that between 21:00 and 21:30, the female presenter wore a cut away one piece outfit that, at times and depending on her position, revealed her outer genital area. In addition, from approximately 21:15 she adopted various sexual positions such as lying on her side with her legs open thrusting up and down with her hips while pulling down her top and stroking her body; moving onto all fours and thrusting her bare buttocks up and down; kneeling upright and moving up and down. In these positions she repeatedly mimed sexual intercourse. In Ofcom's view, the translucent clothing which revealed her breasts, the sexual positions and the miming of sexual intercourse were intended to be sexually provocative in nature. In light of this behaviour and imagery, Ofcom concluded that this material was clearly unsuitable for children.

The broadcast of such sexualised content was inappropriate to advertise adult sex chat so soon after the 21:00 watershed. This broadcast was therefore in breach of BCAP Code Rule 32.3

It is being discussed on forums that the major UK softcore satellite channel is suspending programme production for a while as a cost saving measure.

TVX have said though that they have plenty of new material in stock and that viewers will not see any differences to the usual mix of new and repeat programming.

Television X is a UK softcore broadcaster. Up until recently its Xcellence package comprised of:

• Television X (The Fantasy Channel)
• TVX Brits
• TVX Amateur

But now the package has been reduced to two channels. TVX Amateur ceased broadcasting in the last week of June 2012.

A columnist in the Daily Mail had a long rant about chief TV censor, Ed Richards, applying to be top dog at the BBC. Presumably Paul Scott feels that the sexless UK adult broadcasters are not censored enough.

XXX First Timers is an encrypted  pay per view channel from Playboy TV censored down to softcore under pains of massive fines from TV censor Ofcom.

Anyway Paul Scott wrote in the Daily mail:

I apologise in advance for going into detail about the shocking level of pre-watershed sleaze on offer. But it is, I am afraid to say, necessary to illustrate the way Ofcom, under Richards' stewardship, has surrendered our airwaves to the pornographers.

The station in question is called XXX First Timers. It is, as its unashamedly quasi-paedophilic-sounding title would suggest, at the most grubby fringes of the increasingly out-of-control adult entertainment available on our TV screens.

And its sales pitch is not for the faint-hearted. Playing on a loop is film of a selection of young women, some of whom have clearly been dressed to resemble schoolgirls, in a series of provocative poses.

It features a sickeningly lascivious voiceover, which attempts to entice customers to pay £ 5.99 to access the pay-per-view channel for the evening. They're all gagging to lose their screen virginity, it drools. Catch these ripe girls before they go rotten.

Remember, this is the sort of wretched material being broadcast before 9pm that can freely be viewed by children --- which the watershed is supposed to protect --- without entering any security pin number.

Although the station does not officially start broadcasting until 10pm, its crude attempts to tantalise its audience into subscribing starts earlier in the evening.

As an example of how easy it is for teenagers to access it by mistake, its channel number 929, is one digit different from channel 629, the children's station Pop Girl, which at the same time was showing the Australian teen soap Blue Water High.

Suffice to say, if there are any parents left who think they are safe to leave their children unsupervised to watch pre-watershed TV, they should think again.

After the Mail brought the issue of what is being shown pre-watershed on XXX First Timers to the attention of Ofcom, the regulator promised: We have required the adult channel in question to provide us with a copy of the material so we can assess it urgently.'

Sounds Great! Sounds better than strict Ofcom rules actually allow it to be.

Masti Chat
Party, 18 March 2012, 06:45 to 07:00

Masti Chat is interactive daytime chat advertising content broadcast on the service called Party on Digital Terrestrial Television ( Freeview ) channel 97. The service is available freely without mandatory restricted access and is situated in the adult section of the Freeview electronic programme guide ( EPG ). This service is owned and operated by Square 1 Management Ltd.

Viewers are invited to contact on-screen female presenters via premium rate telephony services ( PRS ). The presenters generally dress and behave in a flirtatious manner while encouraging viewers to contact the PRS numbers.

Ofcom received a complaint that this material contained adult content that was too strong to be shown at this time of the morning.

Ofcom noted that the female presenter wore blue knee high socks, gold knickers and a blue bandeau top. She was lying down on her back, with the camera angle pointing down her cleavage. Her breasts were not adequately covered and we noted that at various points during the broadcast she: stroked her breasts and thighs; gyrated her hips; and occasionally had her legs wide open (albeit away from camera) throughout.

Ofcom considered BCAP Code Rule 32.3, which states:

Relevant timing restrictions must be applied to advertisements that, through their content, might harm or distress children of particular ages or that are otherwise unsuitable for them.

Ofcom Decision: Breach of rule 32.2

Ofcom noted that the presenter wore a top that did not adequately cover her breasts and for the duration of the broadcast the camera angle pointed down her cleavage. The presenter was also shown acting in a sexualised manner by adopting a sexually provocative position for a prolonged period of time: she lay on her back (albeit away from camera) with her legs occasionally parted, slowly gyrating and rocking her hips and arching her body. While in this position she repeatedly stroked and touched her body in a sexually provocative manner, particularly her breasts and thighs.

In Ofcom's view, the revealing clothing, the manner in which the presenter stroked and touched her body and the position she adopted, were intended to be sexually provocative in nature and the broadcast of such content was not suitable to advertise daytime chat. In light of this behaviour and imagery, Ofcom concluded that this material was clearly unsuitable for children.

Ofcom concluded that relevant timing and scheduling restrictions were not applied to the broadcast so as to offer adequate protection to children. This broadcast was therefore in breach of BCAP Code Rule 32.3.

Egypt's vice police have arrested the owner of a belly dancing TV station on on grounds of supposedly inciting licentiousness and facilitating prostitution.

The station, ElTet, broadcasts videos 24 hours a day of scantily clad belly dancers giving sultry performances. Available on satellite TV, the station has gained a following, in part because it shows an Egyptian art form that has grown increasingly inaccessible for many people in the country, having been largely relegated to expensive clubs and hotels as a consequence of increasing religious extremism.

The police raided an apartment where the station's owner, Baligh Hamdy, had been running the operations and recording most of the videos, a police official said. apes and video equipment was seized in the raid.

The official said Hamdy would record the videos and send them over the Internet to his partners in Bahrain and Jordan, who would in turn broadcast them on the station's satellite TV, making it accessible in Egypt and elsewhere.

The raid was prompted by nutter complaints. The station also carries advertisements for sexual enhancement products and matchmaking messages. Theses ads seem to have triggered the complaints.

Dirty Wives
Get Lucky TV (Channel 909), 15 February 2012, 21:01 to 21:30

Dirty Wives is a segment of interactive adult chat advertising content broadcast on the licensed service known as Get Lucky TV (Sky Channel 909). The service is freely available without mandatory restricted access and is situated in the „adult section of the Sky electronic programme guide. Viewers are invited to contact onscreen presenters via premium rate telephony services. The female presenters dress and behave in a sexually provocative way while encouraging viewers to contact the premium phone numbers. The licence for Get Lucky TV is owned and operated by Grandiose Limited.

Ofcom received a complaint that some content broadcast immediately after the watershed contained sexual images that were too strong to be shown at this time.

Ofcom noted there were three female presenters on screen during the broadcast. The female presenter on the left of the screen was wearing a pink leopard print top, a black high leg thong, black stockings and shoes. From 21:04 this presenter adopted various positions. She knelt facing the camera with her legs open and mimed sexual intercourse and knelt with her bare buttocks to camera at times lifting up a leg to reveal her crotch area in greater detail. On one occasion while in this position, she pulled tightly on her thong and lifted it to reveal anal detail.

Ofcom considered Rule 32.3, which states:

Relevant timing restrictions must be applied to advertisements that, through their content, might harm or distress children of particular ages or that are otherwise unsuitable for them.

Ofcom Decision: Breach of Rule 32.3

Ofcom noted that between 21:01 and 21:30, the female presenter on the left of the screen wore a high leg thong that revealed her outer genital area. In addition, at approximately 21:07 she was on all fours, with her bare buttocks to camera and briefly pulled tightly on her thong on three occasions to reveal her anal area. While wearing this very skimpy clothing, she adopted sexual positions such as lying on her back with her legs open to camera thrusting forward with her hips, and kneeling facing the camera miming sexual intercourse. The same presenter later but before 21:30: rubbed oil onto her outer genital area and breasts (through her top); slapped her buttocks; massaged her breasts and stroked her outer genital area; and while kneeling with her buttocks side on to camera, pulled her thong down to under her buttocks and gyrated her hips. In Ofcom's view, the revealing clothing and sexual positions and other inappropriate images, including that of anal detail, were intended to be sexually provocative in nature. In light of this behaviour and imagery, Ofcom concluded that this material was clearly unsuitable for children.

The broadcast of such sexualised content was inappropriate to advertise „adult sex chat so soon after the 21:00 watershed.

This broadcast was therefore in breach of BCAP Code Rule 32.3.

Storm Night
Storm, 9 December 2011, 23:30

Storm is a free to air babe channel (Sky channel number 966). The licence for the service is held by Chat Central.

A complainant alerted Ofcom to the broadcast of inappropriate content during Storm Night on 9 December 2011.

The female presenter was wearing: a grey pleated skirt, pulled up over her stomach and under her bare breasts; a striped tie draped over her shoulders; a novelty necklace; and white trainers and socks. The presenter was not wearing any underwear.

During the broadcast she lay back on a desk, facing the camera with her legs tightly closed. At various points during the broadcast she changed position and covered her genital area with either a flat or cupped hand.

Approximately 20 minutes into the broadcast she opened her legs to camera and placed a cupped hand over her genitals, clearly applying pressure against her genital area.

She also poured white lotion onto her breasts, which remained there for the duration of the broadcast.

Ofcom considered rule 4.2 of the BCAP Code:

Advertisements must not cause serious or widespread offence against generally accepted moral, social or cultural standards.

Ofcom has previously published rules on what Ofcom considers to be acceptable to broadcast on these services post-watershed.

adult chat broadcasters should at no time:

• broadcast anal, labial or genital areas or broadcast images of presenters touching their genital or anal areas either with their hand or an object; and
   
• at no time broadcast shots of presenters using liquids of a sort in a way which suggests the liquid is ejaculate.

Ofcom Decision Breach of rule 4.2

In Ofcom's view the images highlighted above were strong and clearly capable of causing offence. We noted that the broadcast included material that is clearly inconsistent with Ofcom's guidance. For example: the presenter was clearly applying pressure against her genital area with her hand and used body lotion in a way that suggested it was ejaculate.

Ofcom noted that in conjunction with those images the presenter performed various other actions including: stroking her body; shaking her breasts to camera; and miming fellatio. Her position on screen (reclining on the desk facing the camera) also resulted in her genital area becoming the focal point of the shot, despite the fact there were no actual images of her genitals, intrusive or otherwise. Ofcom considered the material included images that are not permitted in „adult chat advertising content that is available without mandatory restricted access.

Ofcom considered that because the presenter was not wearing any underwear, the chances of the material contravening the relevant rules and guidance was significantly increased because she had to ensure her genital area was adequately covered by her hand each time she changed position.

Ofcom does not prohibit nudity in adult sex chat services. However, as set out in Ofcom's guidance, images of presenters touching their genital or anal areas either with their hand or an object are prohibited within the context of „adult chat advertising content that is freely available without mandatory restricted access. In light of this we would caution against the use of naked presenters when broadcasting this content.

Ofcom found this material in breach of Rule 4.2 of the BCAP Code.

South Afica's TopTV's bid to air TV porn channels was banned in part by the country's TV censor because it deemed women's rights and dignity outweighed the right to freedom of expression.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) released the reasons for its ban:

On the issue of balancing the rights of women to equality and human dignity with the right of freedom of expression, ICASA is of the view that the right of women to equality and human dignity overrides TopTV's right to freedom of expression, as well as the rights of viewers to receive pornography on television in the home.

ICASA holds this view because it regards the consumption of pornography as one contributing factor, amongst others, to the normalization of violence against women in SA.

In its statement  ICASA summarised:

1. The right of women to equality and human dignity overrides TopTV's right to freedom of expression, as well as the rights of viewers to receive pornography on television in the home.
2. TopTV's failure to take ICASA's public consultation process seriously damaged its application.
3. ICASA sees no reason to expand access to pornography given government's restrictions on the content through the Film and Publications Act.

Satellite pay-TV broadcaster TopTV is now seeking legal advice before deciding on their next move.

UK TV censor Ofcom has complained to the Dutch media regulator about the content of adult chat channels Babestation and Smile TV, which are licensed in the Netherlands but broadcast to millions of Freeview households in the UK .

The UK TV cenosr said that this is an important issue, and active discussions are under way with Commissariaat voor de Media (Dutch media authority), the country's content licensing body, to see how British audiences can be protected from scenes of near naked women massaging each other's breasts, masturbating and faking orgasms.

Babestation and Smile TV broadcast free to air on digital terrestrial TV service Freeview between 10pm and 6am.

Ofcom has previously revoked the broadcast licences of UK adult TV channels that are anywhere near sexy. However, as Babestation and Smile TV are licensed by the Dutch media authority, rather than Ofcom, the UK regulator has no power to block or ban them.

The TV censor added that it has no tally of the number of complaints received from British viewers about the channels, adding that it advises those offended to approach the Dutch regulator.

Caroline Dinenage, Conservative MP for Gosport and member of the parliamentary inquiry into online child protection, said there was an urgent need to address inappropriate television content:

Some of the images on Freeview may be contravening UK regulation. This is terrestrial TV, free to everyone, including children and teenagers.

We need to ensure that Freeview operators who sell capacity to non-UK porn channels behave responsibly, and respect UK regulations. There may be a compelling case for Ofcom to withdraw licences from companies selling spectrum to porn channels, without putting in place age restrictive access control.

The channels could be in breach of puritanical UK censorship rules  by promoting websites offering R18 hardcore pornography content or equivalent.

An Ofcom spokesprude said If they don't do what we ask them we can go to the European Commission.

A Freeview spokesperson said as an open platform it is required to broadcast licensed channels that apply for distribution, including Babestation and Smile TV. The channels use DTT spectrum owned by Arqiva to broadcast on Freeview. Each multiplex owner is responsible for a bundle of spectrum via which a number of channels are broadcast. Any spectrum not used for their own channels is leased to other broadcasters.

A spokesman for Dmol, a company owned by the operators of the six Freeview multiplexes -- the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Arqiva said that the current arrangement was not ideal , with the Dutch-licensed adult chat channels accessible to 90% of about 10.6m UK homes that use Freeview:

We are conscious of the need to move quickly. We are encouraged by news of Ofcom's active discussions.

ChatGirl TV
Adult Channel (Channel 901), 4 November 2011, 21:00 to 21:30

ChatGirl TV is a babe channel operating when the Adult channel isn't. The content is supplied by a third party but Playboy TV is responsible for the compliance of the service.

Ofcom received a complaint that the sexual content detailed below was too strong immediately after the watershed.

The female presenter was wearing a one piece black and white patterned outfit. This consisted of two thin strips of fabric covering her nipples only joined by strings to a thin strip of fabric which covered her inner genital area only. Over the top of this outfit she wore leather-look hot pants which had a zip at the front which she pulled down at approximately 21:02 to reveal her pubic area and inside the thin fabric covering her inner genital area.

From 21:00 the presenter adopted various positions. She lay on her side gently thrusting her hips forward and at times lifted up a leg to reveal her crotch area in greater detail. In this position, she pulled tightly on the strings connecting the strip of fabric covering her inner genital area to emphasise her pubic area and she repeatedly stroked her legs and inner thighs. The camera regularly zoomed into the presenter's crotch in an intrusive and prolonged manner during the broadcast.

The presenter also lay on her front and pulled down her hot pants to under her buttocks and thrust her bottom upwards. The images of the bare buttocks, shot to the side to avoid genital detail, were at times close up and prolonged.

Ofcom considered Rule 32.3, which states:

Relevant timing restrictions must be applied to advertisements that, through their content, might harm or distress children of particular ages or that are otherwise unsuitable for them.

Playboy TV viewed the material and confirmed that it did not conform to the guidelines on adult PRS services1 .

The content supplier, Access All Media, also wrote to Ofcom and conceded that on some occasions her [the presenter's] movements, together with the camera-work, have resulted in content which appears stronger than intended due to the skimpy nature of her outfit . It further accepted that the close-ups were unfortunate given the presenter's outfit. We can now see how the combination of the close-ups and the presenter's outfit served to increase the strength of the content beyond the intended threshold, for which we sincerely apologise .

Ofcom Decision: Breach of BCAP Code Rule 32.3

In Ofcom's view, the revealing clothing, sexual positions and close up intrusive images were intended to be sexually provocative in nature. In light of this behaviour and imagery, Ofcom concluded that this material was clearly unsuitable for children.

In Ofcom's opinion, viewers (and in particular parents) would not expect such material to be broadcast and available to view so soon after 21:00, particularly given that material broadcast on such services prior to 21:00 should be non-sexual in tone and apparent intent. The broadcast of such sexualised content was inappropriate to advertise „adult sex? chat so soon after the 21:00 watershed. This broadcast was therefore in breach of BCAP Code Rule 32.3.

This present contravention of the BCAP Code is another example of poor compliance by the Licensee, given the strength of the material broadcast immediately following the watershed. However, Ofcom notes that the Licensee states it has taken several measures to improve its compliance since 15 November 2011. We would therefore anticipate no further similar breaches of the BCAP Code. Also the Licensee admitted promptly and fully that this content did not comply with the Chat Service Guidance. Playboy TV remains on notice however that any further similar contraventions of the BCAP Code will be considered for further regulatory action by Ofcom.

Breach of BCAP Code Rule 32.3

Creating parodies goes to the heart of comedy and is one of the most effective ways to highlight social issues.

But parodies of films and music aren't allowed under UK copyright law, unless you have explicit permission of the copyright owner.

A political YouTube video that may have infringed copyright got over 90,000 views when published last year by Mother's Best Child, before being abruptly taken down thanks to the Olympics Committee.

Update: Dishing out repression

4th March 2012. See  article from  dailymail.co.uk

Residents of every property in Shepherdess Walk in Hackney, East London, were told by their local council to remove their satellite dishes or face eviction.

Most of the dishes have been fixed to the front of houses for more than ten years. But Hackney Borough Council says planning permission was never granted.

Only people living in listed buildings need planning permission for a satellite dish (up to about a meter diameter), but the properties under duress are in fact listed.

The council has now told housing trust Circle 33 to make their tenants take down the dishes and fit them to the rear of houses - or switch to cable.

It is believed that the residents are the victims of a bid to clean up Hackney before the start of the Olympic Games in London in June.

resident Tony Emberson said:

I got the letter with only three days to sort something out. Residents believe the council's order is part of a bid to smarten the area up ahead of the Olympics, many events of which will be staged from the Olympic Park in the neighbouring borough of Newham.

The deadline was extended to three weeks once the press got hold of the story.

South Africa's Independent Communications Authority will take legal action against TopTV should the pay-TV broadcaster continue with its plan to launch three porn television channels within the next few weeks.

On Digital Media, the company that owns TopTV, said last month it would go ahead with the launch of the channels early this month despite Icasa's objections.

It argued that the TV censor had not responded to its application in the required three months and TopTV was therefore legally entitled to go ahead.

However, Icasa last week maintained that it was illegal for TopTV to proceed with the launch until the regulator had finalised the application process.

If TopTV goes ahead with the launch we will have no option but to obtain an interdict to stop them. We are waiting for their response to our queries, Icasa spokesman Paseka Maleka said. He added a public hearing on the issue would be held within the next two weeks. Icasa would rule on whether or not it would grant TopTV's application for the three new channels by the end of the month.

Update: Court prevents porn starting before the TV censor has finished deliberating

17th January 2012. See  article from  mybroadband.co.za

The South Gauteng High Court has granted the  Independent Communications Authority of South Africa an urgent interdict to stop a satellite TV operator rom going ahead with its proposed porn channels. The company must now wait on the deliberation by the TV censor.

TopTV wants to introduce a standalone porn package of channels Adult XXX, Private Spice and Playboy Europe.

The TV censor's public hearings into the licence application by On-Digital Media, owner of Top TV, have now begun in Sandton, Johannesburg, where the year-old operator was not represented despite being invited to respond and make presentations.

The misleadingly named Freedom of Expression Institute, African Christian Democratic Party and the Film and Publication Board have all opposed the launch.

Freedom of expression is not a pre-eminent right, and especially not when it infringes on children's rights to be protected from harm, spouted Pearl Kupe, on behalf of the Christian Action Network: Putting in pin-blocking functions presents very little challenge to the increasingly techno-savvy generation, and I know this being a mother.

The African Christian Democratic Party said it was impossible to build a strong nation with dysfunctional families , and producers and distributors of pornography had shown contempt for family values .

Freedom of Expression Institute's executive director, Elston Seppie, said the right to freedom of expression was about balance, ...BUT... the right of children, women and family values should take precedence.

Update: Inevitably Banned

28th January 2012. See  article from  xbiz.com

TopTV has lost its bid to provide South Africa with its first-ever paid adult satellite programming.

South Africa's TV censor, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has refused to allow the company to broadcast softcore Playboy Europe , and hardcore Private Spice and Adult XXX channels.

ICASA spokesperson, Paseka Maleka said the censor would release the reasons for the denial wihtin the next 30 days.

In a letter to Reuters, ICASA said, We advise that the Council of the Authority ... decided, after careful consideration, to refuse On Digital Media (Pty) Ltd's application for the authorization of (the proposed) video channels.

Update: Inevitably Delayed

2nd March 2012. See  article from  mybroadband.co.za

ICASA said it would provide grounds for its decision within 30 days, or by 27 February 2012.

However the TV censor did not deliver its justification by the deadline, telling MyBroadband that the reasons are yet to be approved by ICASA Council in the next week or so.

They are currently being vetted by ICASA Legal Department and will therefore be released after approval by Council, explained ICASA spokesperson Paseka Maleka.

Bluebird Live
Sport XXX Girls (Channel 967), 28/29 August 2011, 23:45 to 00:45
Sport XXX Girls (Channel 967), 29 August 2011, 02:45 to 03:45
Sport XXX Girls (Channel 967), 3/4 September 2011, 23:45 to 00:45

Bluebird 40+
Northern Birds (Channel 954), 29 August 2011, 22:50 to 23:25

Bluebird Live and Bluebird 40+ are segments of interactive adult chat broadcast on free to air babe channels Sport XXX Girls and Northern Birds.

The licences for Sport XXX Girls and Northern Birds are held by Satellite Entertainment Limited (SEL).

A complaint alerted Ofcom to the level of sexual content in the material listed above. Ofcom therefore viewed this content and found:

1. Bluebird Live, Sport XXX Girls, 28/29 August 2011, 23:45 to 00:45 The female presenter was wearing a light blue one piece costume which consisted only of a thin strip of fabric between her legs which covered her vagina but resulted in her outer genital area being exposed. During the broadcast she lay with her legs wide open to camera gently thrusting her hips forward and stroking her upper inner thigh area. Given that this shot of the presenter with her legs wide open remained onscreen for the majority of this broadcast, the material was both invasive and prolonged.

SEL denied that the presenter's outer genital area was exposed, saying that it was covered by her garment. The Licensee also denied that these were prolonged or intrusive images, and asked for further clarification about what Ofcom considered to be invasive about the material.

2. Bluebird Live, Sport XXX Girls, 29 August 2011, 02:45 to 03:45 The presenter wore only a pink lace thong and was filmed with a hand held camera. Throughout the broadcast there were various prolonged and intrusive images filmed, extremely close up and for a duration of time, from directly behind the presenter's buttocks and also between her wide open legs. While being filmed in these positions she thrust her buttocks and hips towards the camera revealing her outer genital area and anal detail.

SEL said there were no prolonged images in the sequence with the potential to cause offence, and asked for Ofcom?s clarification as to how the images were intrusive and prolonged.

3. Bluebird Live, Sport XXX Girls, 3/4 September 2011, 23:45 to 00:45 The female presenter was wearing only a thin white and red thong. For the majority of this broadcast she was positioned on all fours with her buttocks to camera. While in this position her anal and outer genital areas were clearly visible. Given these shots had a duration of several minutes and were in sufficient close up to show anal and outer genital detail they were both prolonged and intrusive.

The Licensee said that the presenter?s garment was clearly covering her genitals , and that for most of the sequence the model was on her stomach with the camera focussing on her face; therefore, SEL failed to see how these images could be in breach of the BCAP Code.

4. Bluebird 40+, Northern Birds, 29 August 2011, 22:50 to 23:25 The presenter wore a black leather look thong composed of a thin strip of fabric only covering her vagina and so revealing her outer genital area. During the broadcast she lay on her back with her legs wide open to camera, and while in this position she gently thrust her hips backwards and forwards. Some particularly intrusive images followed, filmed at close range, when her outer genital area was visible for a prolonged period. In this position she massaged and stroked around her outer genital area.

Ofcom considered this material raised issues warranting investigation under Rule 4.2 of the BCAP Code, which states that:

• Advertisements must not cause serious or widespread offence against generally accepted moral, social or cultural standards.

Ofcom Decision: Breach of Rule 4.2 of the BCAP Code

Ofcom concluded that relevant scheduling restrictions were not applied so as to ensure that the material which was broadcast was not capable of causing serious or widespread offence against generally accepted moral, social or cultural standards. Specifically, this material should not have been broadcast within the context of „adult chat? advertising content that was freely available without mandatory restricted access.

Therefore Ofcom found this material in breach of Rule 4.2 of the BCAP Code.

Ofcom has recently imposed a sanction on the Licensee for a number of serious and repeated breaches of the BCAP Code3 , which led to the imposition of a financial penalty totalling £130,000. These present contraventions of the BCAP Code by SEL are another example of very poor compliance by the Licensee. In the circumstances, Ofcom is considering what further regulatory action is appropriate.

The European hardcore satellite service, Dolly Buster TV has ended.

The company behind the service has now ceased trading.

Dolly Buster TV previously offered 5 hardcore channels broadcasting from the Hotbird Satellite.

The softcore UK adult TV station, Television X, is about to make British broadcasting history by being the first to broadcast in 3D.

The Society 3D will be broadcast on 13th and 14th of January on Television X and its sister channel Red Hot TV to subscribing Sky customers with a 3D TV.

Those who have a 3D TV can watch the interlaced side-by-side version which uses state of the art technology to create the 3D images.

In this one-off 3D special, Television X follows a submissive Angel Long as she is initiated into the sex-mad world of The Society. The landmark film has been produced by Kaizen XXX, which employed many techniques in order to make the 3D effects really impressive.

For the opening image, which shows Angel blowing smoke rings into the viewers face, to the final, closing 'pop' shot, I aimed to make this film an iconic piece of porn history, said Andy P from the production house.

We are really excited about bringing an intensely erotic experience to our customers across the UK and Ireland, said Head of Programming for Television X Chris Ratcliff: The UK has never seen anything like this!

And for once, being totally softcore may be an advantage. Viewers won't have to be worried about being poked in the eye by a long hard dick.