Moral Censors…Ofcom has another whinge at late night babe channels Sport XXX Girls and Northern Birds

Read more Ofcom Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

Thanks to Nick See article [pdf] from stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk

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 ฃ130,000. 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.

Bad Babes…TV Censor fines babe channels, Sport XXX Girls, Essex Babes and Northern Girls

Read more Ofcom Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See Sanction report [pdf] from stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk

Ofcom has fined Satellite Entertainment Ltd ฃ130,000 for being a little bit too sexy for what Ofcom prudes consider acceptable on babe channels. The fine is in respect of its services Sport XXX Girls, Essex Babes and Northern Birds. Ofcom considers babe channels to be advertising and censors such channels using advert censorship rules: Rule 4.2: Adverts must not cause serious or widespread offence against generally accepted moral, social or cultural standards. 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 In addition Ofcom whinged at a lack of recordings from the channels and cited their licensing rule: Rule 11: The Licensee shall adopt procedures acceptable to Ofcom for the retention and production of recordings in sound and vision of any programme which is the subject matter of a Standards Complaint The overly sexy programmes were broadcast in the period 5th – 14th April 2011. Ofcom highlighted a number of examples of broadcast material that were claimed to be clearly inconsistent with the Chat Service Guidance, such as: extremely prolonged and close up images of the genital area; bunching of underwear to simulate masturbation; pouring oil and white cream onto, and massaging it into, the buttocks, anal area and genital area; and presenters wearing clothing that did not adequately cover their genital and anal area. Ofcom noted that in conjunction with those images the presenters performed various other actions including: opening their legs wide to camera; stroking their bodies; thrusting their buttocks; massaging oil into their breasts; and miming sexual intercourse. The combination of these images and action resulted in prolonged and frequent scenes of a strong sexual nature. Ofcom said it was also concerned at the degree of offence likely to be caused to viewers who might come across this material unawares. Ofcom decided that the Code breaches were serious and repeated, and that the breach of Licence Condition 11 was serious, and therefore a financial penalty should be imposed in accordance with Ofcom’s Procedures for the consideration of statutory sanctions. Ofcom then also considered the level of the fine to be imposed. Having regard to the serious and repeated nature of the breaches of the BCAP Code, the serious nature of the breach of Licence Condition 11 and having regard to the Licensee’s representations and Ofcom’s Penalty Guidelines, Ofcom decided it was appropriate in the circumstances to impose a financial penalty of ฃ130,000 on SEL.

Warning Light…Ofcom starts the ball rolling for another attack on Playboy and its Red Light channels

Read more Ofcom Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See Complaints Bulletin [pdf] from stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk

****Babes Red Light 1 (Channel 911), 1 September 2011, 00:00 to 01:00 Red Light Central Red Light 2 (Channel 902), 26 August 2011, 22:32 to 23:00 Red Light 2 (Channel 902), 2 September 2011, 22:55 to 23:05 Red Light 2 (Channel 902), 5 September 2011, 21:03 to 21:35 ****Babes and Red Light Central are segments of programming on babe channels Red Light 1 & 2. Playboy TV is the licensee of both channels (albeit via a Just4Us subsidiary for Red Light 1). Ofcom received two complaints about the content listed above. In summary the complainants were concerned about the level of sexual content which they considered was capable of causing offence and the level of sexual imagery immediately after the watershed. Ofcom cited several examples of material they considered too sexy, but their main whinge was about: 1. Red Light 1, 1 September 2011, 00:00 to 01:00 The presenter was wearing a black latex thong and red shoes. The broadcast included prolonged images of the presenter adopting sexual positions, such as with her legs wide open to camera, often mimicking sexual intercourse. At various points during the broadcast intrusive images of the presenter’s genital area were shown. Approximately 18 minutes into the broadcast, the presenter was shown pouring oil onto her buttocks and anal area and three minutes later spitting onto her fingers and letting the saliva drip down onto her genital area, as if to emulate ejaculate. Throughout the broadcast the presenter was shown touching her outer genital area and massaging oil into her legs and breasts. Approximately 50 minutes into the broadcast the presenter spoke directly to viewers to encourage further calls: Come on, bend me over, give me a spank, stretch me open. Do whatever you want. I’m up for it. I want every hole filled up with your dirty, hot, sticky muck. Come on you naughty boys, call me right now. Predictably Ofcom found the channels to be in breach of the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising (BCAP) rules: Rule 4.2 Advertisements must not cause serious or widespread offence against generally accepted moral, social or cultural standards. 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. And of course given that Playboy TV have just been fined ฃ110,000, Ofcom have started the ball rolling again with the warning: Ofcom has recently recorded a number of serious and repeated breaches of the BCAP Code6 against Playboy TV and Just4Us which led to the imposition of a financial penalty totalling ฃ110,000 . These present contraventions of the BCAP Code are another example of poor compliance by the Licensee, particularly with regards to the material broadcast on 1 September 2011 that was of a strong sexual nature. Playboy TV is put on notice that any further similar contraventions of the BCAP Code will be considered for further regulatory action by Ofcom.

Happy Bedfellows?…Adult Channels and TV debated at the Royal Television Society

Read more Satellite X News at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See details from rts.org.uk

Happy Bedfellows? — Adult Channels And TV 25 October 2011, 1845 for 1900 Northern Film & Media Studio 3, The Kiln Hoults Yard, Walker Road, Newcastle A Royal Television Society Debate featuring KATH WORRALL (OFCOM former member) Dr CLARISSA SMITH (Reader in Sexual Cultures, Sunderland University) LISELLE BAILEY (Head of Scheduling, Television X) Chairman: CHRIS JACKSON (BBC Inside Out’) The discussion will focus on regulation, and where the line is drawn between protecting the vulnerable and over-regulating a major entertainment industry. There will be some adult content shown — so over 18s only — in order to illustrate the debate about regulation. The three female panelists will also explore the role of women in pornography — as contributors, producers and consumers. Join our panel for the debate followed by Q&A session to discover the reality of producing and regulating adult content in the digital television age. Free but registration required

Storm in a Tea Cup…Oops, afternoon babe channel viewers treated to an open-mike customer phone-in

Read more Ofcom Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk

Storm Afternoons Storm TV,  3rd July2011, 16:00 Storm Afternoons is an interactive daytime babe channel broadcast on the service Storm (Sky channel number 966). The licence for the service is held by Chat Central Ltd. A complainant alerted Ofcom to the broadcast of offensive and racist language during Storm Afternoons on the afternoon of 3 July 2011. After inviting viewers to contact the studio, the female presenter placed the microphone beside her but neglected to switch it to mute. As a result, her conversation with callers and a man off-screen was audible for approximately 14 minutes. During this time, the following clearly audible phrases were broadcast: I feel fucked Oh fucking hell I fucking hate this song. How the fuck can you dance to this in a club. Fuck off I feel too fucked I wish black guys called me. I get all the Paki Ofcom considered: Rule 4.2 Advertisements must not cause serious or widespread offence against generally accepted moral, social or cultural standards. 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. The Licensee acknowledged that not only had our compliance procedures not been followed but that the error had not been duly reported to the company management team. It added that the language used by the presenter was wholly unacceptable, whether broadcast or used in the workplace and as a result of this the presenter was dismissed as soon as this incident came to light. Ofcom Decision: Breach of BCAP Code Rules 4.2 and 32.3 Ofcom noted that the content was highly offensive and clearly exceeded the expectations of the audience. Ofcom concluded that relevant timing and scheduling restrictions were not applied to the broadcasts so as to offer adequate protection to children and therefore the material was in breach of Rule 32.3. 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. The material was therefore in breach of BCAP Code Rule 4.2. Ofcom was particularly concerned that the repeated broadcast of the most offensive language appeared to go undetected by the broadcaster for approximately 14 minutes. Ofcom considered this raised serious questions about the robustness of its  compliance procedures. In view of the measures taken by the broadcaster in response to this incident, Ofcom does not expect further breaches of the BCAP Code.