Anger as watchdog endorses real sex on television
OFCOM was branded ‘irresponsible’ yesterday after it said a reality programme which showed contestants having sex had not breached its rules.
Critics said the broadcasting watchdog had effectively legitimised explicit scenes immediately after the watershed, and warned of the potential impact on children.
Campaigners claimed ‘lip- service regulation’ had led to a freefall in standards over the summer, during which several TV shows attracted complaints over adult material.
More than a million viewers saw contestants having sex on ITV2 programme Love Island at 9.09pm, just minutes after the 9pm watershed designed to protect children.
Experts said it was inevitable that children would have been among the viewers and called on the regulator to take a more responsible attitude. Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: ‘ Broadcasters are chasing ratings so it’s up to regulators to ensure they don’t sacrifice public morality.
‘Schools work hard to encourage children not to experiment with sex and these kinds of programmes present sex as some kind of Victorian freak show, offered up for entertainment.’
Ofcom investigated after complaints about Love Island, a dating show in which men and women compete to be voted the best couple, winning a cash prize of £50,000.
Night vision cameras showed two contestants, Emma- Jane Woodham, 19, and Terry Walsh, 28, having sex in the group’s communal bedroom in a villa in Mallorca.
The pair were shown kissing in bed together before Miss Woodham, a project manager, straddled carpenter Mr Walsh, and viewers then saw brief close-ups of her back while they made love.
Sex had been featured on the show before – and on other reality programmes – but this was believed to be the first time it was shown in full view of the cameras rather than under bed covers.
Campaigners warn reality shows are becoming increasingly explicit. Sex scenes were featured on Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother, full nudity was shown on the Channel 4 dating show Naked Attraction and viewers heard graphic descriptions of bondage during another Channel 4 show, Sex Box.
In its ruling on Love Island, Ofcom said broadcasters which showed ‘real sex’ should exercise caution as it could cause more offence than lovemaking in a film or TV drama. But it concluded that ITV2 had not breached its rules.
The broadcaster claimed the show was aimed at a young adult audience and that it regularly featured sexual activity, meaning viewers should have known what to expect. The latest series alone included more than 30 similar incidents of couples engaging in sexual activity although the aired scenes were ‘relatively inexplicit’, ITV2 said in its response to Ofcom.
The scenes between Miss Woodham and Mr Walsh were edited and ‘carefully avoided any shot being overly explicit, and there is relatively little sound included of Emma and Terry’s lovemaking,’ the broadcaster added.
Miss Woodham wore a slip throughout so there was no full nudity shown and the sequence was set to the Toreador Song from the opera Carmen ‘for deliberate comic effect’, the channel said.
Ofcom said the scenes of sexual activity lasted around six seconds in total, and accepted that the use of music and camera shots of the reactions of the couple’s housemates had all ‘lightened the tone’.
It added that the show was preceded by a clear warning that it contained scenes of a sexual nature.
The watchdog concluded: ‘Ofcom has found this material did not breach the [Broadcasting] Code. However, we consider that content including real sex may carry a greater potential to raise issues under the Code than depictions of sex in a drama or film.
‘Broadcasters should take particular care and exercise caution when scheduling material of this type soon after the watershed.’ A spokesman said Ofcom would not investigate complaints about sexual activity on Celebrity Big Brother, or full nudity on Naked Attraction, as both had displayed clear warnings.
Campaigners last night slammed Ofcom’s decision on Love Island.
Sam Burnett, acting director of Mediawatch-UK, said: ‘Apparently it’s now OK to show two people having sex nine minutes after the watershed as long as you play some jaunty music over the top of it.
‘Ofcom’s lip-service regulation is leading to a freefall in television standards, and it’s the viewers who are losing out.’
Conservative MP Sir William Cash said: ‘The bottom line is that this was inappropriate.
‘I would agree with those who have said it’s deplorable.’
‘Freefall in standards’