Channel Breaks Broadcasting Laws

Chong

Afternoon Guys,

I thought this would be a better place to write this, rather than the Television section or Wrestling section. The reason why I am writing is that upon channel surfing as you do on a Sunday afternoon, I thought I might watch the Honky Tonk Man Shoot Interview. Now don’t get me wrong I am no prude or overly in favour of tight censorship laws but to my surprise whilst watching the interview, on numerous occasions the interviewee (Honky Tonk Man) made numerous reference’s to Sex on the WWE, swore at lib Sh*t, F*ck, B*ll*x, B*st*rd, Sh*tting in hat and so on and so forth. Surely this is absolutely out of order, The Wrestling Channel and Sky should be seriously reprimanded by ITC for their blatant dis-regard for censorship. Throughout their was no attempt to make bleeps or anything of that nature. Just for official purpose’s the programme was screened this afternoon from 13:00. I know that its meant to be a shoot interview but hardly gives the channel Carte Blanc to broadcast this material before the watershed. Basically its just not good enough, children love wrestling and will tune in to this channel. Someone seriously has made a big cock-up at Sky and The Wrestling Channel. No matter who you are you surely can not agree with comments like that been made before the watershed.

Regards

Willem

Mossy Monk

what has Sky got to do with it?

mistakes like this happen all the time. i remember Channel 4 did it once with some Jack Osbourne programme. mistakes happen

it really has nothing to do with satellite so i'll move it to broadcasting

Chong

Sky are the carrier and this has happened before. On most of the shoot interviews this occurs, daytime or in the night. This is not a mistake by any means its a disaster to say the least. As Sky are the carrier of the channel they should be reprimanding the channel for the blatant disregard for censorship. Mistakes Happen , not in my mind, this is most definately not a mistake. Could you imagine Rte broadcast Nationwide for example on regular basis and if there was swearing it, could imagine the complete uproar.


Regards

Willem

Mossy Monk

Originally posted by big willy
As Sky are the carrier of the channel they should be reprimanding the channel for the blatant disregard for censorship

thats a load of rubbish. why dont we blame Astra or whoevers satellite broadcast it :rolleyes:

Chong

Yes that would be right then if thats the case, Astra should be blamed. But the british ITC should seriously look in to it.

Mossy Monk

Originally posted by big willy
the british ITC should seriously look in to it.

i agree with that entirely but it is pointless to blame Sky

BuffyBot

But the british ITC should seriously look in to it.

Ofcom. The ITC is dead.

BrianD

You need to make a formal complaint to Ofcom about the content. However, you should make contact with Sky Digital as the delivery platform. You can state that you believe as a customer that this channel should not be included in their channel offering.

Chong

You hit the nail on the head brian but do you and the other posters think I should make a complaint.

Mossy Monk

if you feel offended by what you saw then yes you should make a complaint

FX Meister

Maybe give the channel the benefit of the doubt that it was an accident? I saw the censored version on during the day before and it was censored. An official complaint might jeopardise the jobs of the wrestling channel production staff, who are based in Ireland

funky penguin

Originally posted by Mossy Monk
i agree with that entirely but it is pointless to blame Sky

Unless you want to blame them for dulling our minds with the garbage they broadcast on Sky One and Sky Mix.

marclt

Judging by posters above, I see a problem here.. someone said that initially it was censored but the following day it was uncensored.

Jobs or no job - somebody clearly wasn't doing their job! Its worthwhile checking out the ofcom website... this incident, if correct is quite a serious one - and there are severe penalties for this kind of thing. Rightly so. That sort of language should only be broadcast at a time of day when young children don't normally watch TV.

If you feel something is wrong, then complain about it. If you pay for a service and you're not happy... complain. If you'd just paid for something in a shop and the cashier told you to f*** off - you probably wouldn't like it.

If this channel is a professional outfit, then they should act responsibly...

BrianD

wrestling channel production staff, who are based in Ireland

Are they? I know that Setanta show the odd WWE (I think) bout but that's about it.

Is there another playout crowd in Ireland?

oneofakind32

Correct me if Im wrong but I believe that the wrestling channel is freeview and available without paying a subcription so Sky there for its not there problem

sceptre

oneofakind32 wrote:

Correct me if Im wrong but I believe that the wrestling channel is freeview and available without paying a subcription so Sky there for its not there problem

If they have an EPG number they have a "relationship" with Sky but, as pointed out above, the channel themselves are the ones to complain about as Sky are only the carrier (whether or not the channel is part of a Sky package).

BrianD

oneofakind32 wrote:

Correct me if Im wrong but I believe that the wrestling channel is freeview and available without paying a subcription so Sky there for its not there problem

Makes no odds, the channel is still included as part of a Sky Digital package. It could be on cable or freeview as well. It's a bit like an inappropriate book in a shop. You could complain to the bookstore about stocking the book and they could remove it as part of their product offering. Furthermore, Sky have a bit a leverage. If you complain they can turn around to the channel and say clean up your act or your off the platform. This would be a major problem for the channel - while the sophisticated sat user might be able to seek it out and tune it in the average Joe Bloggs won't.

Lads I can turn on Sky digital any evening and watch soft porn after nine and freeview trailers of harder porn leaving little to the imagination, from 8pm
Heck I can catch up with the latest news presented by naked ladies at 10:30 pm every night.
Are kids in bed by 8 nowadays?

Makes no odds, the channel is still included as part of a Sky Digital package.

No they pay Sky for an EPG service which is not the same thing.
Sky don't charge it's customers for the channel.

BrianD

They may well do in practice but I think you have to look at it from a consumer point of view. Sky Digital includes this channel as part of their digital platform. The EPG is the user interface for this platform. The consumer doesn't need to know anything else (transponders etc.). Paying for the EPG includes them on the Sky Digital delivery platform. It's irrelvant if Sky charges for this channel or not, it's on their EPG.


Having said that, given that there is a substantial amount of adult content available on the EPG a few swear words is probabbly the least of a parents worries.

BrianD

BrianD wrote:

It's irrelvant if Sky charges for this channel or not, it's on their EPG.

You see thats the thing,Sky are not the broadcaster and therefore not subject to the legislation regarding what it is legal to broadcast.

The wrestling channel on the other hand,if they are broadcasting from the UK are subject to it.

BrianD

We have already discussed this and agreed that Sky Digital is not the broadcaster. However, it is one of the channels offered on their delivery platform. Just like you might complain to a shop for stocking an unsuitable product, you can also bring up the issue with Sky Digital who can also exert pressure on the channel. This channel more than likely depends on being included in the Sky EPG for its audience.

marksi

The EPG is regulated by OFCOM and Sky cannot refuse a broadcaster a position on it.

BrianD

BrianD wrote:

We have already discussed this and agreed that Sky Digital is not the broadcaster. However, it is one of the channels offered on their delivery platform. Just like you might complain to a shop for stocking an unsuitable product, you can also bring up the issue with Sky Digital who can also exert pressure on the channel. This channel more than likely depends on being included in the Sky EPG for its audience.

yes but you see its also available to anyone via other channels if it were to be withdrawn from the EPG

Consider this...
NTL complains to Sky for an inadvertent mistake where swear language is used on sky one.
Sky then get their backs up and tell NTL they want an extra charge for to monitor the channel to make sure it doesnt offend Irish viewers again.
There follows long negotiations during which NTL are told by Sky to remove Sky one from their platform unless they pay up and by extention ntl subscribers.
They have sucessfully had sky one withdrawn from NTL before.

This is just an inadvertent breach by the wrestling channel and can and does happen, it's a matter between ofcom and the broadcaster if there is seen to be persistant and flagrant breaches of the licencing laws.

Complaining to sky specifically would be the equivalent of calling grundig because they manufacture and legally sell equipment to receive the wrestling channel.

Pal

don't ever get Hot Bird my friend. it's a bit more liberal than the wrestling channel