hecklerspray has been having computer problems this week. As usual, these soul-sapping software failures produced their standard reaction – that of seething bile, rage and anger.
However impressive our tirade was, however – and it included holding up a System Recovery CD in front of the laptop and screaming "Who’s laughing now?" - it looked like a snippet of Enid Blyton dialogue compared with the foul-mouthed antics of a granny. On BBC Radio. At seven in the evening.
The Zane Lowe programme (i.e. the Indie Tim Westwood Hour) had just launched when listeners were treated to the following introduction…
“Hello ladies, boys and girls," the pensioner began.
"I thought that you might like to know – in the spirit of punk rock – the following show includes, what we often refer to as language. So if, like me, you are offended by such words and phrases as: arse; bollocks; tit, wank; tit-wank; rotter; mother licker; mother sucker; mother fucker; twat; minge juice; bottler and of course bastard – then you might wish to turn over, or fuck off – thank you."
An early-evening abuseathon which left a good number of Daily-Mail readers spitting out their Waitrose wine. Or swerving their Mondeos off the road. Whatever those crazy middle-England types like to get up to.
So Ofcom – the sternest, most badass regulatory board in town - have felt the nice to step in and give Aunty Beeb a bit of a wrist-slapping.
"Broadcasters have the right to transmit, and listeners the right to receive, material which may offend some people but uses strong language to explore artistic and creative themes. However, the right to deal with such subject matter comes with the responsibility of ensuring material is appropriately scheduled with the potential child audience in mind. While this was a legitimate approach, its application here was seriously misguided."
The BBC has – brilliantly – stepped up to defend the broadcast, claiming it was "carefully considered" and "thought-provoking." It seemed to stop short of calling Ofcom "a bunch of wankers", though.
Shame.
Read More:
Radio 1 Rapped For 7pm Profanity – Digital Spy
[story by C J Davies]
