UK TV and Radio News

The word ['nigger'] has been excised from the film I regard as the pinnacle of British cinema, Kind Hearts and Coronets. In a crucial scene, the about-to-be-hanged murderer and his mistress quote the traditional version of the rhyme Eeny, meeny, miny, moe: it is the moment when he realises that she knows he has murdered several members of his family, and might just murder his wife, too, if the mistress can have him reprieved. A TV channel on which I recently rewatched the film eliminated this exchange, rather than show a warning that it includes racially offensive language.

It is patronising to assume most of us don't know that the past is a foreign country; that they did things then that we are enlightened enough not to do now. Otherwise, Bowdler-like, we shall according to the latest obsession falsify whatever parts of our heritage culture warriors take exception to. We can't go through life without being offended; but we can and should present our cultural past honestly and in context, and explain the importance of its integrity.

Martin Daubney (standing in for Laurence Fox)
GB News, 16 June 2023, 19:00

The above current affairs programme dealt with the topic of immigration and asylum policy, in particular in the context of controversy over small boats crossing the English Channel. The presenter, Martin Daubney, gave his own views on this topic and interviewed the leader of the Reform Party, Richard Tice.

Ofcom received a complaint about the programme.

We considered that immigration and asylum policy constituted a matter of major political controversy and a major matter relating to current public policy. When dealing with major matters, all Ofcom licensees must comply with the heightened special impartiality requirements in the Code. These rules require broadcasters to include and give due weight to an appropriately wide range of significant views.

We found that Mr Tice presented his position on a matter of major political controversy and a major matter of current public policy with insufficient challenge, and the limited alternative views presented were dismissed. The programme therefore did not include and give due weight to an appropriately wide range of significant views, as required by the Code.

The Licensee accepted that the content was not compliant with the heightened special impartiality requirements in the Code.

GB News failed to preserve due impartiality, in breach of Rules 5.11 and 5.12 of the Code.

Ofcom recognises that, in accordance with the right to freedom of expression, broadcasters have editorial freedom and can offer audiences innovative forms of discussion and debate ... However... in light of the likely similarity of the views of the participants in this programme on the major matter being discussed, the Licensee should have taken additional steps to ensure that due impartiality was preserved.

We expect GB News to take careful account of this Decision in its compliance of future programming.

TV censor Ofcom has launched an investigation into GB News over Laurence Fox's rant about a female journalist, Ava Evans after receiving around 7,300 complaints.

Fox was suspended on Wednesday after he was condemned for saying 'Who would want to shag that?

The complaints followed Tuesday night's episode of Dan Wootton Tonight, prompting its investigation. Dan Wootton has been suspended from GB News seemingly as he smiled or smirked at Fox's comments rather than opposing them.

Wootton said in an apology that he regretted the interview and should have intervened to challenge Fox. Meanwhile Fox has said he stands by every word of what I said.

Fox, who also hosts on GB News, made the comments discussing political journalist Evans' views on creating a minister for men to tackle a mental health crisis. Speaking on BBC Politics Live on Monday, the PoliticsJOE political correspondent said the idea would make an enemy out of women and that mental illness was not specific to men. Addressing the comments on Dan Wootton Tonight on Tuesday, Fox said:

We're past the watershed so I can say this. Show me a single self-respecting man that would like to climb into bed with that woman - ever, ever... That little woman has been fed, spoon-fed oppression day after day after day... We need powerful, strong, amazing women who make great points for themselves, we don't need these sort of feminist 4.0... they're pathetic and embarrassing. Who would want to shag that? Media caption,

Melanie Dawes, Ofcom chief executive, said:

Over the last few days there has been speculation and commentary about our role as the independent broadcast regulator. These are important issues and I wanted to be clear about our rules.

Parliament sets objectives on how the broadcast sector should be regulated. We set and enforce rules to achieve these objectives. Contrary to some claims, these rules remain unchanged.

They are designed to protect audiences from offensive and harmful material, and to uphold the integrity of broadcast news and current affairs programming, while always ensuring that freedom of expression is front and centre in every decision we take. This is highly valued by audiences and central to our democracy.

The decisions we take, always based on facts and evidence once a programme has aired, are vital if we are to protect our vibrant media landscape. We continue to apply and enforce these rules without fear or favour.

 

Offsite Comment: The establishment campaign to shut down GB News

25th September 2023. See article from spiked-online.com by Fraser Myers

Adam Boulton has said the quiet part out loud: the elites want to defend their cosy media club.

The Last of the Mohicans is a 1992 USA action war romance by Michael Mann.
Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe and Russell Means.      

Never cut by the BBFC but its ratings have oscillated between 12 and 15. Uncut and MPAA R rated in the US. There are three different cuts reflecting the director's attention to detail.

On Saturday (24th June 2023) at 3:45pm on Channel Five, a heavily-censored version of Michael Mann’s 1992 epic, THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS was shown, with a “contains mild violence” warning, and shown as part of a Family Movies season, sponsored by Legoland UK!

The film had about 15-20 minutes of cuts from its 122m running time, to render it suitable for daytime viewing. It also starts off in 2.35:1 for the opening credits scene, then zooms out to 1.85:1 widescreen, losing large amounts of footage.

Almost all violence was cut, especially scalping, gunshot wounds, bloody knife and machete attacks. The scene in the middle of the film, where Daniel Day Lewis is being escorted in chains for treason, is so heavily cut, one minute he’s in chains, the next he’s free and carrying a gun trying to save Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe’s character).

Major Heyward (Steven Waddington) being burnt at the stake, is completely gone. He’s escorted away, and that’s it....