Studio 66 TV
Studio 66, 15 April 2019, 10:00
Studio 66, 28 April 2019, 18:30
Studio 66, 8 May 2019, 11:10
Studio 66, 20 May 2019, 10:00
Studio 66, 23 May 2019, 10:00
Studio 66 TV is interactive daytime
chat advertising broadcast on the service Studio 66, which is available as part of a standard satellite subscription package. The content consists of presenters inviting viewers to contact them via premium rate telephony services (PRS). Studio 66 is
available without mandatory restricted access and is situated in the adult section of Sky's electronic programme guide ('EPG'). The licence for the service is held by 914 TV Limited.
Ofcom received five complaints, each about a
different broadcast. In each case, the complainant considered that the presenters were not wearing suitable clothing, their bodies were inadequately covered, and in some instances their behaviour was sexualised.
Having viewed the
material, Ofcom identified five examples: eg on 15 April 2019, 10:00 The presenter lay on her side wearing a small black dress, which on several occasions was hitched up at the bottom partially exposing her thigh and buttock; and on several occasions,
the presenter stroked and thrust her buttocks.
Ofcom considered 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
Ofcom’s published guidance on the advertising of PRS ‘daytime chat’ services
(“the Chat Service Guidance”) sets out what Ofcom considers to be acceptable to broadcast on these services.
The Chat Service Guidance requires ‘daytime chat’ services to be placed within the ‘adult’ or similarly identified
section of EPG listings. It also states that the “presentation of daytime chat should always be suitable for wide audiences, that is for audiences including children and young persons…should they come across it unawares”. It requires that “all dress and
behaviour should be non-sexual in tone and apparent intent”, and specifically that ‘daytime chat’ broadcasters should:
• “ensure that presenters are wearing appropriate clothing, that adequately covers their bodies, in
particular their breasts, genital areas and buttocks”;
• “not broadcast images of presenters touching or stroking their bodies in a suggestive manner, in particular avoiding breasts, thighs, crotches and buttocks”; and
• “not broadcast images of
presenters mimicking sexual intercourse by rocking and thrusting their bodies, or otherwise adopting sexual poses.”
Ofcom considered the content across these five broadcasts did not reflect the elements of the Chat
Service Guidance listed above. It featured presenters who were positioned and dressed in such a way that resulted in significant exposure of their buttocks, thighs or breasts. Further, in some cases, the presenters:
•
touched and stoked their buttocks and breasts in a sexual way; and
• repeatedly thrust or gyrated their breasts or buttocks, mimicking sexual activity.
In light of the above, Ofcom considered that in all five
cases, the presenters’ clothing and behaviour were sexual in tone and apparent intent.
On 8 April 2019, in Issue 376 of its Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin, Ofcom recorded a breach of Rule 32.3 against the Licensee for the
pre-watershed broadcast of content featuring three presenters who behaved inappropriately and were inadequately dressed. While we acknowledged the Licensee's apology and recognition that the material was non-compliant, we are very concerned that a
further breach of this nature occurred just seven days later, and then on four further occasions across a matter of five weeks.
Ofcom considers these repeated breaches to be serious and we are therefore putting the Licensee on
notice that we will consider these cases for the imposition of a statutory sanction.
