ITC Censures The Dating Channel Over Text Messages

The ITC has upheld complaints against The Dating Channel on the grounds of taste and decency after it broadcast “inappropriate” text messages.

One broadcast included the text message “Eight year old boy looking for good times with older male”. Another included a reference to “feltching”. Both messages were screened during the afternoon.

The Dating Channel, which is broadcasting on Sky Digital, commented that the viewers’ text was mediated by “text jockeys” before broadcast. However, staff on duty had failed to recognise the likely offence to viewers of the screened messages.

Since the complaint, The Dating Channel has installed a software filter to ensure a similar mistake does not occur. There is also a new on-screen warning that any text message with a sexual connotation would either be edited or totally rejected.

ITC: 0207 306 7743 www.itc.org.uk

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