UK TV and Radio News

No doubt moralist campaigners will now be calling for an 11pm watershed for all TV deemed to be made for an adult audience.

Perhaps something missing from the ASA analysis is that considering a range of ages from 10 must surely distort the analysis. Surely 10 year olds go to bed an awful lot earlier than 15 year olds so considering the average is likely underestimate the amount of kids staying up at the higher end of the range. I would suspect that it may be 11pm to 12pm before the teenagers turn off.

The ASA challenged the scheduling of 576 alcohol ads that were broadcast after 9 pm on the seven Box TV music channels in the period February, March, April 2013. In total, the ASA found that the scheduling of 268 ads breached the BCAP Code and the scheduling of 308 ads did not.

Rule 32.2.1 of The UK Code of Broadcast Advertising (the BCAP Code) states that alcohol ads should not be shown in or around programmes commissioned for, principally targeted at or likely to appeal particularly to audiences below the age of 18.

Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) guidance recommends the use of audience indexing, a statistical tool, to determine the representation of children in relation to the audience as a whole. BCAP guidance states that an alcohol restriction should be applied in programmes where the 10- to 15-year-old audience, indexed against the total audience of all individuals over four years old, produces an index of 120 or more. An index of 120 would mean that 10- to 15-year-olds are 20% over-represented in the programme audience compared to the audience as a whole. Presumably an index of 100 would mean that the program is viewed by an average cross section of all ages.

There were 576 alcohol ads broadcast in programmes on the following channels licensed to Box Television Ltd in the period February, March and April 2013:

1. 4Music (126 ads); described on the 4Music website as a channel that brings you closer to the hottest artists right now .
2. Heat (22 ads); described on the Heat website as a channel that brings you the best in entertainment and celebrity news .
3. Kerrang (138 ads); described on the Kerrang website as the music channel for the world's biggest selling rock magazine .
4. Kiss TV (93 ads); described on the Kiss TV website as the beat of the UK on TV .
5. Magic TV (43 ads); described on the Magic TV website as offering feel good favourites twenty four hours a day .
6. Smash Hits (69 ads); described on the Smash Hits website as hits now and always .
7. The Box (85 ads); described on The Box website as providing fresh music first .

There were 219 ads broadcast between 9 pm and 9.59 pm; 143 ads between 10 pm and 10.59 pm; 102 between 11 pm and 11.59 pm and 102 ads broadcast after 12 am.

The ASA Compliance team challenged whether it was appropriate to schedule alcohol ads in the programmes on these channels because the data indicated that many were likely to appeal particularly to audiences below the age of 18.

ASA Assessment: Complaints upheld in parts

1. 4Music

The ASA acknowledged that the audience figures for 4Music were low and agreed that a time slot based restriction was a reasonable scheduling approach when attempting to comply with the spirit and intention of the Code.

In accordance with the advice of the statistical expert as to the potential for the audience indexing score to be useful to some degree, we noted that the average index score in the 9 pm to 9.59 pm time slot on 4Music varied from 134 to 136. After 10 pm the average index dropped to 95 to 97 and remained below the 120 cut-off point for the rest of the night in every weekly period.

We considered that a 10 pm restriction would have been more appropriate based on the spirit and intention of the rule, based in turn on the hard audience information available and knowledge of the audience profiles.

2. The Box, Smash Hits and Heat

• The Box: average index score 9 pm to 9.59 pm: 121 to 141
• The Heat:  average index score 9 pm to 9.59 pm: 140 to 158
• Smash Hits average index score 9 pm to 9.59 pm: 143 to 154
• All fell to under 120 after 10pm (but this still means a lot of kids are watching)

We considered that a 10 pm restriction for alcohol ads on The Box, Smash Hits and Heat would have been more appropriate.

3. Kerrang

• Average index score 9 pm to 9.59 pm: 219 to 241
• Average index score 10 pm to 10.59 pm: 172 to 196
• The average index score continued to exceed 120 until 00.59 am

We therefore considered that an 11 pm restriction would have been more appropriate.

4. Kiss

• Average index score 9 pm to 9.59 pm: 132 to 169
• Average index score 10 pm to 10.59 pm: 133 to 148 some week, under 120 others
• Fell to under 120 after 11pm

We therefore considered that an 11 pm restriction would have been more appropriate.

5. Magic TV Complaints not upheld

• The average index score for the preceding 52 weeks did not exceed 120 in any time slot.

We therefore concluded that the third party had demonstrated that the decision to allow alcohol ads from 9 pm on Magic TV was a reasonable scheduling decision.

The latest series of Big Brother has received over 1,500 complaints over bullying.

Complainants say they were concerned for Jale Karaturp's wellbeing after seeing former escort Helen Wood and Pauline Bennett gang up on her. Helen branded Jale a slug and also previously called her a massive ferret face .

Recently over 100 complaints were made in response to Helen telling strict Catholic glamour model Danielle McMahon to stop shagging Jesus .

Have I Got News For You, BBC One
25 October 2013

The complainant contacted the BBC about Have I Got News For You , broadcast on 25 October 2013. His complaint concerned a reference made to Prince Harry by the host, Jo Brand, when she was talking about the royal christening of Prince George. She said:

George's godparents include [x] Van Cutsem. I presume that's a nickname, in that [x] Van Cutsem and Harry then snorts 'em.

The complainant considered this an outrageous unfounded allegation . The complaint was dismissed at lower levels of BBC complaint handling but was escalated to an appeal to the BBFC Trust

The appeal was considered by the Editorial Standards Committee. The Committee noted the complainant's concern that Have I Got News For You alleged

Without any evidence being provided, that a serving soldier who is also fourth in line to the throne has committed a serious criminal offence and breached the Army's discipline code.

The Committee noted the response of the Complaints Director at Stage 2:

The nub of this, it seems to me, is whether a viewer might reasonably take from this that it was actually being alleged that Prince Harry was a cocaine user and I have to say that I think, on balance, that this is very unlikely. Have I Got News For You has a well established reputation for humour that is robust, often uncomfortably personal and sometimes simply grotesque. That alone, it seems to me, helps to guard against anything said on the programme being taken as necessarily true.

The Committee agreed with this view and also noted that it was in the tradition of British comedy to extract broad humour from the Royal Family.

The Committee did not believe that there would be a reasonable prospect of success for an appeal on the grounds that the programme had breached the BBC's Editorial Guidelines on Accuracy. The Committee therefore decided that this appeal did not qualify to proceed for consideration.

Jerry Springer
Pick TV, 27 January 2014, 13:00

Jerry Springer is a long running talk show shown on a number of Ofcom licensed channels including Pick TV. The licence for Pick TV is held by Sky.

A complainant alerted Ofcom to the unacceptable level of violence shown in this programme.

Ofcom noted that the broadcast was preceded by the following on-screen message: The Jerry Springer Show may contain adult themes or strong language. Parents are cautioned this program may not be suitable for children .

We noted that over the course of its 55 minute duration violent altercations broke out on 12 separate occasions during the programme.

Ofcom noted in particular:

• hApproximately six minutes into the programme two women, Chameer and her friend, TJ, began to fight. TJ struck Chameer around the side of the head and the two women continued to try to hit one another as security staff attempted to keep them apart. After around 10 seconds, the two women were separated. At this point, TJ removed her shoes, ran at Chameer, and tackled her to the ground.

• Around 32 minutes into the programme, Monique walked out onto the stage and passionately kissed another guest on the programme, Lauren. She then briefly flashed her bare breasts at the studio audience (although her breasts were pixelated in the broadcast). A fight then broke out between Lauren and Monique, and a third woman, Jessica. Jessica tried to land blows on Lauren and Monique but security staff intervened. The three women then grappled with each other, predominantly by pulling at one another's hair. Jessica then pulled Monique onto the ground and dragged her along by her hair. After the women were finally separated by security staff, Jessica was shown to drop a clump of Monique's hair onto the studio floor.

• Later, Jessica grabbed Monique by her hair once more. Security staff intervened as another fight broke out between the three women. A member of security picked up Lauren in an attempt to pull her away and Lauren appeared to try and kick out at Jessica. All three women also pulled at one another's hair both before and after they fell to the floor. Jessica was again seen dropping a clump of Monique's hair on to the studio floor.

There were a further five incidents where participants in the programme landed single punches or slaps on others before security had the opportunity to intervene. Many of these violent acts were also repeated in recaps and teasers at the beginning and end of each part.

Ofcom considered:

Rule 1.11: Violence, its after-effects and descriptions of violence, whether verbal or physical, must be appropriately limited in programmes broadcast the watershed (in the case of television)â?¦and must also be justified by the context.

Rule 2.3: In applying generally accepted standards broadcasters must ensure that material which may cause offence is justified by the context (see meaning of context below). Such material may include, but is not limited to, offensive language, violence, sex, sexual violence, humiliation, distress, violation of human dignity, discriminatory treatment or language (for example on the grounds of age, disability, gender, race, religion, beliefs and sexual orientation). Appropriate information should also be broadcast where it would assist in avoiding or minimising offence.

Sky denied there was any breach of the Code as it believed that given likely audience expectations the level of violence in the programme was within the bounds of acceptability . Sky said that Jerry Springer is a very well established programme and has been broadcast to UK viewers for a considerable number of years. In addition, the Licensee said that the programme format has remained consistent over this time with each episode featuring feuding families, partners or friends airing their grievances. Sky also highlighted that this episode of Jerry Springer had been broadcast on other channels without being the subject of an adverse finding by Ofcom .

Ofcom Decision: Breach of Rules 1.11 and 2.3

In Ofcom's view, the cumulative effect of these very frequent violent altercations (including, on two occasions, particularly vicious fighting that resulted in clumps of a guest's hair being pulled out) resulted in a programme that contained a significant level of violence.

In this case, although the broadcast was during the day while children were at school, there was clearly the potential for some children to be available to view this programme which contained a large number of violent, and in some cases very violent, altercations. Taking all the factors into consideration, Ofcom concluded that the cumulative level of real violence featured within the programme was not justified by the context. The programme was therefore in breach of Rule 1.11

We concluded that in the particular circumstances of this programme the violent content was not justified by the context. Therefore generally accepted standards were not applied and this programme was in breach of Rule 2.3.

This Decision relates to the content of this particular episode and not the programme Jerry Springer in general. Having viewed other episodes, Ofcom is aware that while the nature of the material is broadly similar, the strength of the content, and particularly violent content, can differ between episodes. Ofcom reminds broadcasters of the potential for individual episodes of well-established series to raise potential issues under the Code and the need to comply episodes on a case by case basis.

Breaches of Rules 1.11 and 2.3

Comedian Jack Dee has allegedly threatened to quit the long-running comedy panel show, which regularly attracts 2.5million listeners, after BBC bosses ordered him to tone down his smutty jokes.

And regular panellist Tim Brooke- Taylor, who appears alongside Graeme Garden and Barry Cryer, has called BBC executives 'pathetic for taking offence at the show's innuendos.

The PC row began after a listener whinged about one of the show's best-known gags about the fictional score-keeper known as the lovely Samantha. The miserable complainant claimed that this was demeaning to women.

Brooke-Taylor told Cotswold Life magazine:

We've had terrible trouble with the BBC about the show. Someone complained about Samantha -- that it was being rude to women -- and told us we had to be careful about this and to not do that.

The writer who does Jack Dee's links said, "Well, in that case I'm leaving" , and Jack said, Well, I'm leaving, too. It's just so pathetic .

The character of Samantha was introduced in 1985 by original chairman Humphrey Lyttelton. She became the butt of double entendres and innuendos joking about her sexual exploits.

The BBC said it had received four complaints about Samantha since the start of 2013. A spokesman evaded the censorship issue:

We have regular discussions with production teams and contributors of all long-running Radio 4 programmes on how we can best keep the much-loved shows clever, relevant and fresh to listeners.

And of course under the requirements of political correctness 4 whiney whingers have to be put ahead of the listening pleasures of 2.5 million people.

Accompanied by his 91-year-old girlfriend Marjorie McCool today, the self confessed cougar chaser Kyle Jones told ITV1's This Morning intimate details about his active sex life with the granny porn star, all at around 11.45am.

Listening to Ms McCool, from Pittsburgh in America, share intimate details about remaining young - and limber- thanks to her healthy sex life, alarmed the usual few easily offended tweeters whose trivial tweets aren't worth repeating.

The great grandmother, told how she was able to get her 'leg above her head' and proceeded to note the sex kept her young. Concluding the interview Philip Schofield noted : It is important to note Marjorie is heavily involved with granny porn.

The Express solicited a few whnges from the perennial provider of outraged sound bites, Miranda Suit of the religious morality campaign, Safermedia. She said:

When it comes to sexually explicit conversation or topics we usually find that across day time TV they handle the topics very carefully or sensitively. While I'm sure today's topic were meant it good humour, having a woman talk explicitly about her sexual relationship pre-watershed should raise alarm bells - children could be watching.

We have to be very careful about exposing our children and young people to sexualised conversation, phrases such as 'granny porn' are too adult, could cause confusion and is therefore irresponsible of the shows producers.

An ITV spokesperson said:

This Morning covers a wide range of material that is in the news and of interest to our viewers. The interview was pre-recorded, covered several aspects of Kyle and Marjorie's relationship and we believe was suitable for broadcast on our show.

The phrase Oh, my God should not be said before the watershed because viewers may find it offensive, a BBC presenter has spewed.

Sian Williams, who hosts the BBC One discussion programme Sunday Morning Live , said she found such language inappropriate .

Asked by Radio Times what compelled her to switch off a television or radio programme, Williams replied:

Swearing. I'm quite old-fashioned in that respect. I don't like people to use inappropriate language before the watershed -- particularly the phrase 'oh, my God' because it can offend.

The BBC has come in for some trivial criticism after broadcasting a supposedly obscene comedy which appears to make fun of the murder of Lord Mountbatten, the Queen's cousin killed by the IRA in 1979.

Norman Tebbit, the former Conservative Party chairman, claimed Radio 4's sitcom Blocked , which was aired on the eve of the 70th anniversary of D-Day, were typical of the profanity, obscenity and sheer bad taste of the corporation.

A tiny number of listeners have also complained about the show, co-written by the comedian Frankie Boyle and starring David Mitchell.

The play, broadcast at 11pm featured David Mitchell as a frustrated playwright turned theatre owner, accused of carrying out the IRA's murder of Lord Mountbatten, off the coast of Ireland. Mitchell's character Felix claims that in fact the naval officer drowned after losing his legs in terrorist attack carried out by British special forces. Asked if he murdered the royal, his character replies:

No, they tried to pin it on me but technically speaking he drowned; very difficult to tread water with no legs.

The show also included thinly-veiled jokes about delivering a suitcase filled with metronomes onto Lord Mountbatten's boat and later mounting his leg bones above their fireplace.

Tebbit whinged:

It's par for the course from the BBC and they just simply don't discipline their people against profanity, against obscenity or sheer bad taste. The BBC is essentially left-wing and this shows they are particularly unpleasant in many ways, in their arrogance and detestation of anyone who disagrees with them.

The BBC has since confirmed five complaints about the show have been made. A Radio 4 spokesperson said:

We schedule our wide ranging comedy programmes with audience expectations in mind, and this one-off comedy pilot about a family who runs a small theatre was broadcast in a late night slot at 11pm. The comedy had no content related to D-Day and the references to Lord Mountbatten and the fictional 'Lord Mintbutton' were made by the incompetent theatre manager who lacks self-awareness and good taste.

The BBC has been caught up in another ludicrous censorship row after the broadcaster cut the word girl from a programme about the Commonwealth Games over fears it could cause offence.

Mark Beaumont, the presenter, was being filmed grappling with a judo champion, and after he was sent crashing to the floor he said:

I am not sure I can live that down - being beaten by a 19-year-old girl.

When the half-hour episode of The Queen's Baton Relay was originally aired in April on the BBC News channel, the remark was broadcast in full. However, the word girl was edited out of a repeat of the programme, leading the Corporation facing claims it had been overly politically correct and sanctimonious.

A BBC spokeswoman said the unedited version of the documentary was broadcast soon after being filmed because the baton's tour was treated as a news event. She added:

They had more time to edit it the second time. Mark didn't mean to cause offence. But the word 'girl' was taken out just in case it did.

Update:  Nobody is going to dare say anything

27th May 2014. See  article from  dailymail.co.uk

Tory MP Philip Davies, who sits on the Commons culture, media and sport committee, and is always quick to provide the tabloids with a sound byte, said:

They are finding offence where none is taken or intended.

We are going to end up in a situation where nobody is going to dare say anything lest some politically correct zealot deems it offensive.

A handful of viewers have rapped some sequences in the post-watershed BBC programme Happy Valley .

In particular a brutal beating of a police sergeant played by Sarah Lancashire. As Episode Four ended, she collapsed covered in blood.

Vivienne Pattison, of Mediawatch-UK whinged:

This kind of graphic violence dehumanises us. Studies have shown watching it can stunt your emotional growth.

The BBC has received at least 15 complaints about the episode, shown between 9 and 10pm. A BBC spokesman said:

It was broadcast in a post-watershed slot and was clearly signposted with an on-air announcement before the episode started.

Offsite Comment: The Childish Daily Mail

25th May 2014. See  Happy Valley writer: I don't have to apologise for show's violence from  theguardian.com

Sally Wainwright, creator of the hit BBC1 drama, defends the depiction of brutality and says storylines were carefully considered

In a robust response, Wainwright told the Observer she was saddened that the Mail had picked up on the attack on Cawood -- played by Bafta-winner Sarah Lancashire -- and a previous incident when a young woman police officer was crushed to death and had tried to make a thing of it, when shows like Game of Thrones have so much gratuitous violence against lots of people . Wainwright said:

This is a quality, well-written drama. I think it is childish [of the Daily Mail]. I think it has backfired on them. Judging by the amount of email, texts, tweets I've had, I don't think anyone is asking me to apologise. I'm sorry if some people found it too much. You can always turn the telly off.

...Read the full article .

The Daily Mail is kindly hyping a new comedy show:

The BBC waded into yet another race row yesterday after Harry Enfield blacked-up for his latest comedy sketch show and poked fun at a Muslim girl in a burka. Their new show, Harry & Paul: The Story Of The Twos , will be shown later this month as part of BBC2's celebration of its 50th birthday.

In one risque sketch, Enfield makes fun of black American singer Harry Belafonte by covering his face in dark make-up. In another bizarre scene likely to outrage some viewers, the comedians turn a young Muslim girl covered in a burqa into the butt of their humour.

Religious morality campaigner Pippa Smith, of the group Safermedia, said Enfield risked stoking ethnic tensions with his comedy. She spouted:

Is Harry Enfield just going out of his way to be controversial by using a young girl dressed in a burqa meeting a young boy dressed in a Pingu penguin costume for his sketch?  Poking fun at young Muslims, who look no more than children, is in very poor taste, especially when some young Muslim women are complaining of being harassed and even attacked for wearing the burqa. To then shoot a woman in the head is completely inappropriate. Harry Enfield is no longer funny and the BBC has lost the plot.

The Story Of The Twos, which will be shown at 9pm on Sunday May 25.

ITV has sparked a little 'outrage' of a few viewers for airing an advert for the Church of Scientology in a prime-time slot.

The broadcaster was accused of allowing the controversial religious cult to target vulnerable people after it showed its advert following Coronation Street .

It sparked 24 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which responded that the advert does not breach any of its regulations.

Depicting a montage of smiling people and imposing buildings with a voiceover, thet advert encourages viewers to Imagine science and religion connecting . It ends with the statement: Imagine everything you have ever imagined is possible as the Scientology website is displayed on the screen.

The director of Mediawatch-UK Vivienne Pattison said that although she understands the concerns people have about the Scientology advert, there is little that can be done to stop it. She said:

There aren't actually any rules saying you can or can't advertise religion, which is how they have managed to get away with it.

The Channel 4 Annual Report briefly speaks of viewer complaints in 2013:

During 2013 our Viewer Enquiries Department was contacted 154,703 times, the majority of these being requests for information. Of the rest, we received 16,835 complaints and 5,174 appreciative comments.

Our Ramadan season as a whole received both the largest number of positive and negative comments, with 2,011 complaints and 321 appreciative comments. For single programmes, the 4Ramadan Call to Prayer received the most number of complaints with 1,658, followed by Crazy about One Direction , which received 1,056 complaints.

Gogglebox was the single series that received the most number of positive comments from viewers, with 257 appreciative contacts.

Lawyers are to write to Barack Obama and the ambassadors of every country in which Top Gear airs asking them if the BBC motoring series should continue to be broadcast, following Jeremy Clarkson's mumbled use of the N-word .

Lawrence Davies, director of law firm Equal Justice, claimed Top Gear was racist and told MediaGuardian his firm did not accept the apology Clarkson has made. He also asked who had approved the scene when Clarkson is shown choosing between two cars by reciting the words to the nursery rhyme eeny, meeny, miny, moe and then apparently mumbling the word 'nigger'. Davies said:

We are to write to every ambassador and the US president next week asking them to consider the evidence and then to decide if this racist show should be broadcast in their country in future.

Davies also attacked education secretary Michael Gove for defending Clarkson on ITV's Good Morning Britain:

Michael Gove, a close ally of Clarkson's friend, the PM, rallied to Clarkson's defence today. We worked with him on the Baby P whistleblower case so we know him well. That the person responsible for our children's education should condone an apologetic racist before the actual investigation has begun (let alone concluded) is an absolute disgrace.

Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman also chipped into the outrage and called for the BBC to sack Jeremy Clarkson. She screeched that anybody who used the word in whatever context should have no place at the BBC.

The BBC is still deciding what action to take and has yet to confirm if Clarkson will take part in the next series of Top Gear, which is due to begin filming soon. The BBC published the following response to complaints recieved:

Complaint

We've received complaints regarding Jeremy Clarkson allegedly using a racist term during the filming of an episode of Top Gear .

BBC's response

Jeremy Clarkson has set out the background to this regrettable episode. We have made it absolutely clear to him, the standards the BBC expects on air and off. We have left him in no doubt about how seriously we view this.

Update: Farange takes a stand against PC extremism

4th May 2014. See  article from  heraldscotland.com

Jeremy Clarkson has admitted that he will be sacked by the BBC if he makes another supposedly offensive remark. Writing in his weekly Sun column the presenter also attacked the BBC for urging him to apologise over the footage, complaining he could not say sorry for something he had not done. He said:

I've been told by the BBC that if I make one more offensive remark, anywhere, at any time, I will be sacked.

And even the angel Gabriel would struggle to survive with that hanging over his head.

It's inevitable that one day, someone, somewhere will say that I've offended them, and that will be that.

Speaking on a campaign visit to Dover, Nigel Farage said:

The more controversial Jeremy Clarkson is, the more people watch his programme, and the more money the BBC makes out of marketing a show that sells globally and makes them a fortune.

I would think it's just typical Clarkson, getting very, very close to the line of being offensive but perhaps not quite going over it.

Offsite Comment: The N-word: do we have to spell it out?

8th May 2014. See  article from  theguardian.com

One word is so uniquely offensive that it should never appear in print, some argue.

Update: TV censor gets involved

9th May 2014. See  article from  telegraph.co.uk

Top Gear is to be investigated by Ofcom following complaints presenter Jeremy Clarkson used a derogatory term. An episode of Top Gear, broadcast on BBC Two on March 16, showed Clarkson using the word slope , as an Asian man walked over a bridge in Burma.

The scene led to a complaint of casual racism , with Clarkson accused of referring to people of different races in pejorative terms .

The complaint will now be investigated in full by TV censor Ofcom, which will consider whether the broadcaster breached its codes.

Offsite Comment: Clarkson: the c-word that counts is context

10th May 2014. See  article from  spiked-online.com

 The hysteria over his n-word mumble marks a new stage in the war on words.

Comment: Living PC Language

10th May 2014. From Alan

A living language changes, as does acceptability of vocabulary in various contexts.

Go back to the middle ages, and Wyclif translates the Old Testament text on the ritual impurity of eunuchs by referring to the ballogys brused or kut off and he manages to employ a euphemism using twice as many naughty words as he avoids when he writes of the part of the bodye from which turdes are shatten out . Can't imagine a modern translation of the Bible referring to bollocks being bruised or cut off, or to the part of the body from which turds are shit out!

The other evening, I was looking at the photos in the bar at Birmingham Town Hall, showing the history of the building, illustrating -- appropriately left to right -- meetings addressed by Paul Robeson, Harold Wilson and Oswald Mosley. The poster put up by a Communist body for Robeson's speech happily used the not-quite-so-bad N-word, referring to Robeson's fight for American negros . (That's how they spelled it, with no E in the plural.) The National Association of Colored People in the USA still retains the use of coloured , now regarded as offensive on both sides of the pond.

I remember about twenty years ago reading a news report of a fight between a black man and a white man who had called him a fucking nigger . The paper had asterisked the F-word while printing the N-word in full. It struck me as a bit odd, since I don't think fucking was the word that made the black guy punch his lights out!

Going back 30 years or so, I remember a vicar's wife bemoaning the fact that you could no longer refer to a lovely clothing colour as nigger brown . A couple of minutes later, she reduced her husband, her son, and her son's mate (me) to horrified and uncontrollable mirth as she added, I believe in calling a spade a spade.

Update: Censored whilst claiming to be uncensored

3rd December 2014. See  article from  theguardian.com

The BBC Trust has said it will not consider an appeal calling for further action to be taken over Jeremy Clarkson's apparent use of the N-word in filming for Top Gear , because the clip was never actually broadcast on the BBC2 motoring show.

Complainants whinged that BBC management did not seem to take Clarkson's offences seriously, was inconsistent in sanctions applied to protect him for commercial reasons, and that there had not been meaningful apologies .

Channel 4 describes its new programme as follows:

The vast majority of us are brought up to assume that love is something that just happens, but there are now 15.7 million single adults in the UK and marriage is at an all-time low (2011 census, office of national stats). Have marriage and monogamy had their day. Have we forgotten how to fall in love?

Channel 4 have acquired the rights to develop Danish format Married at First Sight for a UK audience; this ground-breaking social experiment will see three couples matched by man and machine according to scientific and sociological criteria and will be produced by CPL.

Chosen from an initial pool of over 200 applicants, six single people, each seeking long-term love, will enter into a legally-binding marriage with a complete stranger - meeting for the very first time at their own wedding where they'll declare I do in front of family and friends.

Each of the single participants will be carefully matched by a panel of experts in the fields of psychology, psychotherapy, social & evolutionary anthropology and theology in the hope that their combined professional experience can create a perfect match.

Cameras will follow the couples for the first six weeks of their relationship as they share their daily lives with a stranger who could potentially become their soul mate, but practicalities aside, Married at First Sight ultimately seeks to answer two questions. Can science produce a successful relationship and can the act of marriage itself help create a psychological bond that leads to true and enduring love?

And of course Vivienne Pattison, the Director of Mediawatch-UK was keen to support the hype. She said of the show:

It makes marriage look stupid. Channel 4 is trumpeting this as a social experiment but it isn't. It's just after ratings.

Family breakdown costs the UK billions each year. This is irresponsible

Chris Patten has stepoed down as chairman of the BBC Trust.

Patten's controversial tenure as chairman of the BBC 's governing body has come to an unexpected halt after he announced that he would stand down immediately following major heart surgery.

He leaves the  job after three turbulent years in which the BBC was hit by the fallout from the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse allegations, and with ministers having to appoint a successor before the general election.

The Conservative peer will be replaced temporarily by the vice-chairwoman, Diane Coyle, with former Sony boss Sir Howard Stringer amongst those tipped to succeed him permanently.

Reg Bailey, censorship campaigner and chief executive of the Mothers' Union, who 'advises' Downing Street on the sexualisation and commercialisation of childhood, has called for the introduction of a cinema-style ratings system for all broadcast content.

He insisted the rise in time-shifted viewing of TV -- on the internet or other catch-up services -- meant the old 9pm watershed could not survive in its current form:

If you go to the age-rated system -- 12, 12A, PG -- it is simpler and has a high trust level.

Figures show ten% of all television viewing is now time-shifted rather than live.

Vivienne Pattison, director of campaign group Mediawatch-UK, said:

I am the parent of a seven-year-old who has no concept of linear television. He has no idea of not watching when he wants to watch. If you have a young teenage audience at 6.30pm and then you put out a version with extra spicy bits later at night -- well, who do you think that is aimed at?

She suggested curious youngsters were using catch-up services to watch shows as Channel 4's The Joy of Teen Sex and My Daughter the Teenage Nudist, as well as the post-watershed spin-off of the soap opera Hollyoaks.

Tony Close, director of content standards at Ofcom, said:

The TV watershed is an important way to protect children. We recognise the growth of on-demand TV viewing poses new challenges. We are working with government to ensure that children remain protected.

A spokesman for the Culture, Media and Sport department said:

More needs to be done to ensure safety measures and tools that prevent children watching post-watershed programmes, such as [parental] locks and Pin protection, are more widely used. We will keep progress under close review and if necessary consider the case for legislation to ensure that audiences are protected to the level they choose.

Upcoming US porn producers WoodRocket.com has signed the team of director Lee Roy Myers and writer A.J. Slater to reunite and create Doctor Whore -- The XXX Parody , a spoof of the Dr Who and his sexy companions.

According to Myers and Slater, great attention to detail was paid when choosing the costumes, script, special effects and sets. Now all that's left is the sex!  Myers said:

We love 'Doctor Who' and want to pay homage to this brilliant series. And add space vaginas,

Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson has found himself at the centre of a trivial 'racism' row following a comment he made during the final show of the series.

Clarkson was commenting on a newly constructed makeshift bridge over the River Kwai: That is a proud moment, but there's a slope on it , as a man walked towards them on the bridge. Fellow presenter Richard Hammond replied saying: You're right, it's definitely higher on that side.

A few viewers took to Twitter in 'shock' following his use of the word slope in the second episode of the two-part special, which is apparently considered a derogatory term for people of Asian decent.

One wrote: Topgear - There's a slope on it - Subtle racism!, while another viewer appeared to agree: That slope joke on Top Gear tonight was ill advised. A great show ultimately spoilt by a gag too far.'

Update: Equal Opportunity

29th March 2013.  See  article from  theguardian.com

The BBC has received a formal complaint over an supposedly racist remark made by Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson during one of the show's Burma specials.

A law firm acting on behalf of the nearly unknown actress Somi Guha has written to the BBC claiming Clarkson's use of the word slope , which can be used as a derogatory term for people of Asian descent, contravened the Equality Act 2010. Guha is seeking an apology and disciplinary action against Clarkson. In the formal complaint, sent to the corporation's management and the BBC Trust, law firm Equal Justice wrote:

Casual racism in the media by established BBC stalwarts is constantly brushed aside. Discrimination within the industry is accepted. Racial profiling of roles is accepted and expected. I find it offensive that Jeremy Clarkson refers to people of different races in pejorative terms.

[The show] must be censured to ensure that another race or nation is not targeted, and that the BBC should give due consideration to not re-commissioning Top Gear until these matters are addressed.

The show attracted 10 other complaints from viewers.

Update: Top Gear's producer grovels over trivial quip

24th April 2014. See  article from  theguardian.com

Top Gear's executive producer, Andy Wilman, has expressed regret for supposed offence caused by a quip on the show made by presenter Jeremy Clarkson that some easily offended viewers found racist. In a statement, Wilman said:

When we used the word "slope" in the recent Top Gear Burma special it was a light-hearted wordplay joke referencing both the build quality of the bridge and the local Asian man who was crossing it.

We were not aware at the time, and it has subsequently been brought to our attention, that the word 'slope' is considered by some to be offensive and although it might not be widely recognised in the UK, we appreciate that it can be considered offensive to some here and overseas, for example in Australia and the USA.

If we had known that at the time we would not have broadcast the word in this context and regret any offence caused.

The Daily Mail has praised the first of episode of Season 4 of Game of Thrones:

A prince strips a posing group of prostitutes naked one by one as he selects a companion for the night. It sounds like a scene from a porn film, but this was the latest episode of the epic fantasy drama Game of Thrones, based on the novels of George R R Martin.

Other scenes in the episode, which followed the Stark family coming to terms with the killing of their relatives at the end of season three, featured an attempted rape and graphic disembowelment.

Some 700,000 tuned in to watch its long-awaited return on Sky Atlantic at 9pm. The prostitute scene came ten minutes from the start, 10 minutes after the TV watershed.

Miranda Suit, of the religious morality campaign, Safermedia, said:

What are [young girls] learning from some of these storylines?  That what most men want is their body and handing it over is one of the easiest ways to get their attention. This does a great disservice to both men and women.

Pippa Smith of Safermedia asked:

Extreme sadistic violence and sexual violence involving harpooning prostitutes and what appears to be attempted rape served up for television entertainment?

That this series is so popular is deeply troubling and no doubt it is particularly popular with young boys and teens many of whom who are already becoming desensitised, more aggressive and lacking in empathy from the violence in films and video games and online porn.

Vivienne Pattinson of Mediatwatch-UK agreed that while the quality of the scenery was fabulous and the acting brilliant , there was a worrying undertone of violence being acceptable. She said:

It's normalising this violence and unhealthy relationships, or whatever it is. It's giving it a context and that is worrying.

Megan MacLeod of Sky Atlantic said:

'HBO's Game of Thrones sits perfectly alongside Sky Atlantic's range of bold content which we know our customers enjoy.

A well known TV bailiff has failed in a high court bid to censor a John Sweeney Panorama investigation into debt recovery being broadcast.

Jamie Waller's JBW Group tried to get an injunction against the BBC programme, which is due to air on Monday night, after it learned of undercover filming of staff working for the company.

Monday night's Panorama goes undercover to expose the bailiffs who seize cars and demand huge fees in what has become a multi-million pound business chasing unpaid parking tickets.

A BBC spokesman confirmed on Monday the attempt to block the programme and said the company had argued in its application that it should be granted the injunction of the grounds of defamation. It was denied the application by a high court judge, Mr Justice Tugendhat, on Friday.

The independent production company making the Panorama film, Snapper, sent a letter alleging that the company had breached relevant regulation, guidelines and committed unlawful acts by its agents . JBW Group said it had provided a detailed response to the letter comprehensively dealing with all points and allegations made by Snapper .

A BBC statement about the programme stated:

Bailiffs recovering debts for local authorities say they do a public service, hunting down those who don't pay up. But Panorama has evidence that some bailiffs are intimidating motorists, exaggerating their powers and pumping up fees.