Not in front of the children, warns watchdog

Ofcom has issued a warning to broadcasters to stamp out sexualised, explicit and violent programmes from being broadcast before the nine o’clock watershed.

The regulator set out a list of guidelines warning broadcasters to be more careful about the content of programmes they show before the cut off time – which is intended to act as a signal for parents that adult content could be screened after the specified time.

The new guidelines come in the wake of a string of investigations by Ofcom into pre-nine o’clock programmes which have sparked complaints from viewers as being unsuitable – or close to the limits of acceptability – for children.

At the end of last year, the regulator launched an investigation into the X Factor final after thousands of viewers complained about lewd performances.

The show’s 2010 finale featured singer Christina Aguilera and her backing dancers in a racy routine Ofcom described as “at the very margin of acceptability” after thousands of viewers complained.

X Factor boss Simon Cowell said earlier this month that the show will be toned “down a bit” in future after “the reaction” to last year’s final.

Ofcom has met with parents and broadcasters to clarify concerns and to draw up the new guidelines.

In a poll conducted by the watchdog, more than three-quarters of parents said they believed 9pm was the right time for the watershed, but a third expressed some level of concern regarding what their children had seen on TV before the watershed during the previous 12 months. Violence, sexually explicit content and offensive language were common complaints.

Soaps and films were the most likely to contain material parents felt was unsuitable, followed by music videos and reality TV shows.

And a quarter of teenagers aged under 17 admitted they had recently seen something on TV before 9pm which had made them feel uncomfortable.

Even trailers were singled out as being potentially unsuitable for youngsters.

Trailers for Channel 5 programme Candy Bar Girls – a reality show about the lives of staff at a lesbian nightclub in London – and one for fashion magazine reality show Stylista, were both the subject of an investigation in recent months for their explicit content.

“Ofcom’s research underlines that parents’ pre-watershed concerns focus on violence, sexual content, or offensive language in pre-watershed television programmes,” said Ofcom. “Broadcasters of pre-watershed soaps should therefore take account of these concerns when considering whether content is suitable for broadcast before, and/or immediately after, the watershed.”

The report also warns broadcasters “to ensure appropriate scheduling” of music videos.