Complaints To BSC Rise

In its annual report published yesterday, the Broadcasting Standards Council said that complaints had risen dramatically in the past year. The Council recorded a 31% rise in the number of complaints directed to the BSC during 1994-95.

“Complaints relating to violence, sex, taste and decency rose from 1711 in 1993/4 to 2247 in 1994/95. While the numbers of complaints have risen the pattern of complaints has remained consistent with previous years – the issues raised, the channels responsible and the pre Watershed (47%) and post Watershed (53%) split of television complaints, all remained similar. The majority of complaints (46%) were about taste and decency with one third of these relating to bad language, other issues raised included tasteless humour and racist or sexist offence 20% of the complaints to the council in the past year were upheld in full or in part.

The report found that the there was little difference between the attitudes of younger or older generations towards controversial programmes such as The Word. Lord Dubs, deputy chairman said his experience showed they shared similar reactions: “It is an insult. Nobody defends it. They think its rubbish.”

A study which was conducted independently for the Council and considered 2,200 letters, suggests that complaints to the BSC do not come from a small group of frequent complainants, but from a broader spectrum of the population. 98% of those who complained only sent one or two complaints. Most complainants were people trying to protect their children and had never complained before.

The report recommends that broadcasters introduce clearer warnings for adult- only programmes .