Johannesburg - E.TV has been fined R10 000 for airing adult material before 8pm, the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA said on Tuesday.
The programme, which appeared to be a mock trial of two estranged lovers, was aired at 5.30pm, the commission said in its ruling.
“The male respondent in the mock trial was ordered by the judge to take part, in scanty attire, in what may be described as an adult party where sexual innuendo, sexually provocative advances, and scanty attire were the order of the day.
“The tribunal held that the episode should not have been broadcast in such an early slot and should have been broadcast after 8pm with due classification,” the BCCSA found.
There were two complaints about the programme “Eye for an Eye”, a court drama in which justice is delivered in a form of revenge.
One complainant said what he saw was “disgusting” as his children were also watching. A second complainant said the choice of programme was distasteful and had a negative impact on families because it was immoral.
The broadcaster responded: “Our classifiers believed that because the impugned segment contained no explicit sex and was only sexually suggestive, nor did it feature complete nudity, it would not be problematic for the time slot.”
It pointed out that there was a 13 age restriction. However, it had instructed its programme classifiers to review the rest of the shows in the series to avoid a similar incident.
The BCCSA said the complaints were justified.
“The protection of children against material which is harmful is of particular importance,” it said.
“The material broadcast was of an adult nature and should not have been broadcast at that time of the day.”
E.TV had until August 29 to pay the fine. -
Sapa