Time to get tough 

10 February 2004 tbs.pm/694

MediaGuardian: Watchdog raps Channel 4 and Top of the Pops

It seems that new media regulator Ofcom already has its work cut out with TV channels either breaking rules through the quest of trying to attract viewers or through sheer incompetence (or occasionally both), but what is just as disturbing as sexually explicit references in front of children is the fact that so-called “soft touch regulation” just isn’t working.

To quote: “Ofcom today also upheld a complaint against digital channel Friendly TV, which, due a technical failure, broadcast a still image of a topless woman from late night show Babecast for five hours the following morning. The channel was in trouble with the independent television commission, Ofcom’s predecessor, several times last year and the watchdog said it was “concerning” that another problem had occurred.”

“Concerning”? The channel in question ought to be heavily fined or forced off air for a period in order to ram home the point that such repeated lapses of quality aren’t permitted under any circumstances. We used to have the “best television in the world” in the UK, and although Friendly TV is a small minnow in the grand scheme of things this sort of behaviour makes UK television in general look bad. And because channels both small and large get away with lapses in technical quality, we end up with this as a result…