Second Carlton Programme Breaches ITC Code

Another programme produced by Carlton Television has been found by the Independent Television Commission (ITC) to be in breach of the Programme Code. Omagh: Thursday Night Special was broadcast on ITV just five days after the devastating bomb in the Northern Ireland town.

This prompted a number of complaints to both the ITC and the programme’s transmitters, Ulster Television (UTV). This follows yesterday’s announcement by the Commission that Carlton’s drugs documentary, The Connection, had been found to be fake by the Investigation Panel (see Carlton Documentary Found To Be Fake), and was therefore in breach of ITC Code.

The Omagh programme generated over 1000 complaints to UTV that it was completely lacking in sensitivity; the ITC received 47 similar complaints. Almost all of the complainants were residents in Northern Ireland.

As Carlton will apologise to the viewers in Northern Ireland tomorrow evening, the ITC decided not to impose a formal sanction. The Commission has yet to decide what action to take with regard to Carlton’s Connection programme.

Independent Television Commission: 0171 255 3000 Carlton Television: 0171 240 4000