Studio 66
Various times, day and night
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 electronic programme guides ('EPGs').
Ofcom received eight complaints, each about a different broadcast. In six of the cases, the complainants considered that the presenters were dressed inappropriately and were behaving in a sexualised manner. In two cases, the
complainants considered that the behaviour of the presenters was inappropriate for broadcast.
Example Pre-watershed content
27 August 2019, 10:43
• The presenter’s nipple protruded through the top of her dress for
approximately 20 seconds.
The presenter also pulled her dress over her hips, gyrated and stroked her buttocks.
Example Post watershed content
13 August 2019, 21:15
• The presenter exposed and stroked her breasts for
approximately 45 seconds, and
subsequently exposed her buttocks towards the camera.
Ofcom considered pre-watershed 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 considered post-watershed BCAP rule 4.2:
“Advertisements must not cause serious or widespread offence against generally accepted moral, social or cultural standards”.
Ofcom Decision: Breach of rules 32.3 and 4.2
Ofcom's published guidance on the advertising of PRS chat services specifically states that when broadcasting daytime chat broadcasters should:
ensure that presenters are wearing appropriate clothing, that adequately covers their bodies, in particular their breasts, genital areas and buttocks; and
not broadcast images of presenters touching or
stroking their bodies in a suggestive manner, in particular avoiding breasts, thighs, crotches and buttocks.
In addition, the guidance makes clear that shots of bare breasts should not be broadcast before 22:00
Ofcom considered that the content across the six daytime broadcasts and that broadcast at 21:15 on 13 August
2019 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.
Therefore, our decision is that the seven broadcasts breached Rule 32.3 of the BCAP Code.
Rule 4.2 of the BCAP Code requires that advertisements must not cause “serious or widespread offence against generally accepted moral, social or cultural standards”.
Ofcom has made clear in a number of
published decisions the type of material that is unsuitable to be broadcast in ‘adult chat’ advertising content which is available without mandatory restricted access. Our published guidance specifically states that Licensee’s must “at no time broadcast
images of any real or simulated sex acts”.
The content broadcast on 15 September included a presenter simulating sex acts. In Ofcom’s view, this material was clearly capable of causing offence.
Ofcom's
decision is that this broadcast was in breach of Rule 4.2 of the BCAP Code.
On 7 October 2019, in Issue 388 of Ofcom's Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin, Ofcom recorded a breach of Rule 32.3 of the BCAP Code against the Licensee
for the pre-watershed broadcast of material featuring five presenters who behaved inappropriately and were inadequately dressed. This followed on from a previous decision published on 8 April 2019, in Issue 376 of its Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin,
where Ofcom recorded a similar breach of Rule 32.3.
The previous breach decisions against the Licensee published in April and October 2019 are the subject of ongoing sanctions proceedings. In all circumstances, we regard the
breaches set out in this decision as serious and will also consider them for sanction.
Update: Closed
9th March 2020.
Presumably in response to the censure by Ofcom, Stiudio 66 has closed and terminated its
broadcasting licence.
