London’s alternative radio station, Xfm, and EMAP-owned South Yorkshire pop station Hallam FM have each been fined £50,000 by the Radio Authority for breaches of the Broadcasting Act and Programme Code. The fines are the largest that the Authority has ever levied on a station and represent the maximum single penalty which the RA can impose to a local independent station.
Xfm’s breakfast show, hosted by Tom Binns, breached the Programme Code on two occasions by including descriptions of bestiality, offensive language and references to pornography. The Radio Authority received a number of complaints about these programmes which were broadcast at a time when children may have been listening. The RA’s chairman, Sir Peter Gibbings, said that the Authority was “appalled by the broadcast of such obscene and unacceptable material, particularly at breakfast time.”
As well as the £50,000 penalty, Xfm, which is owned by Capital Radio, now faces having its licence revoked if any similar breaches to the Programme Code occur. The RA said: “The members of the Authority were not left feeling fully confident that the owners of Xfm, Capital Radio, had taken steps which should ensure that these offences cannot be repeated… if Xfm does not put in place effective compliance measures, then in the event of any further serious breaches it will consider a further range of sanctions which may call into question the continuation of Xfm’s licence.”
EMAP Radio’s Hallam FM, which broadcasts across South Yorkshire, has also been penalised by the RA for breaches to the Programme Code. On one of the station’s late night phone-in programmes there were descriptions of paedophilia and the encouragement and condoning of rape, according to the Radio Authority. “[The broadcasts] contained material which is deeply offensive, indecent and degrading. The irresponsible treatment by the station of such serious topics as child abuse, rape and violence against women is wholly unacceptable,” said the Authority’s chairman.
Following the maximum £50,000 fine, Hallam FM has taken steps to ensure that such a breach of licence is not repeated.
Radio Authority: 0171 430 2724 Capital Radio/Xfm: 0171 766 6000 Hallam FM: 0114 285 5575
