Viewers fume after gay shows canned
Commission says it has not received any complaints
TV viewers for DStv LGBTI+ pop-up channel OUTtv SA were left fuming after various gay-themed shows were removed from the line-up without a warning. Sowetan believes that sexually explicit shows Naked Attraction, Broke Straight Boys and PopPorn were removed from the channel’s Friday night after-10pm line-up. Dating show Naked Attraction sees single contestants pick a date from a selection of naked people. In PopPorn, comedians roast gay porn, while Broke Straight Boys is a reality TV show offering a behindthe-scenes look at the “gay for pay” pornography website. MultiChoice declined to comment on which shows were removed and the reasons. Spokesperson Maritjie Groenewald referred questions to OUTtv managing director Warren-Lee Whitcher. Whitcher failed to respond. In an interview with a TV blog, Whitcher cited that the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA (BCCSA) received a number of complaints about Naked Attraction but failed to explain why the other two shows were canned. “Unfortunately, we picked up the wro ng file from the distributor, we picked up the fully nude and not the blurred out version, which aired that first night, and unfortunately it did create a little bit of a stir with the more conservative side of the audience,” Whitcher said. BCCSA registrar Shouneez Martin said: “We are not in receipt of any complaints for the channel in question.”
“I really don’t understand people. Just don’t watch it if you’re offended ... unless they are showing nudity and strong language during the day, I really don’t see what the problem is,” a viewer complained on Twitter. Launched on DStv channel 198 on October 4 to DStv Premium and Compact Plus customers, the pop-up channel will end on November 4. “Over the last few years, we’ve been offering pop-up channels as a value add to enhance their entertainment,” Groenewald said.
“We haven’t decided to make the channel permanent.”
‘ ‘ We picked up the fully nude and not the blurred out version