People Newspaper Complaint Upheld/No Decision On Lottery

The Broadcasting Standards Council (BSC) has upheld a complaint against an advert for The People Newspaper which featured a topless couple embracing, in its January Complaints Bulletin. Although the ad was broadcast on ITV only two minutes before the watershed of 9pm, the ad for a sexual questionnaire in the paper was found offensive. Overall the January Bulletin contained 138 complaints relating to 87 programmes and 10 advertisements. Of these 9 programmes and 3 ads had complaints upheld against them: these include Heartbreak High (BBC2) which showed young lovers in a bedroom scene; a trailer for The Good Sex Guide (ITV) showing nude men and women; and Nightmares of Nature (BBC1) which featured footage of a crocodile attacking and mutilating a woman.

The Broadcasting Standards Council has also issued a response to a complaint from the Chairman of the National Council on Gambling regarding the scheduling of the National Lottery draw on BBC1. The objection was based on the large number of children watching the show, out well before the 9pm watershed. The BSC has concluded that it needs more evidence before a decision to move the programme could be made.

BSC: 0171 233 0544