RTÉ 2FM censured over foul language in Boyzone sketch

THE BROADCASTING Complaints Commission has upheld a complaint against RTÉ 2FM for allowing foul and offensive language to be aired in a sketch about Boyzone on a morning chat show.

A listener had claimed a segment broadcast on the Colm and Jim-Jim Breakfast Showlast May – featuring actors posing as Boyzone singers Ronan Keating and Stephen Gately deliberating how best to deal with the problem of an itchy groin after waxing – was inappropriate for a family audience.

The sketch, aired at 8.55am on a Friday, also contained an expletive-ridden discussion about wanting to attack fellow band member Mikey Graham with a snooker cue.

RTÉ had argued that the sketch was within audience expectations. It said the show was slightly “zany”, aimed at the 25 to 44 age group and known for using language and imagery which might offend some listeners.

It said parents listening with their children did so in the knowledge that some of the humour might be risqué.

The commission rejected this defence. “The use of the ‘f’ word has a strong potential to cause offence,” it said in its ruling.

While acknowledging RTÉ’s argument that the programme was not aimed at children, it said “this does not preclude their responsibility of taking due care when scheduling sketches containing such coarse and offensive language and humour based on aggression”.

The commission said the tone and manner of the humour was not what most parents would want their children to hear or repeat and it was “likely that at 8.55am on a Friday morning during a school term, children could be part of the audience”.

Therefore, the complaints commission ruled that the broadcaster was in breach of code of programme standards for not exercising due care and/or due regard for the likelihood of children being in the audience when scheduling the sketch.

The Broadcasting Complaints Commission also published its findings yesterday on a complaint against RTÉ over actor Gabriel Byrne's endorsement of Dublin City Council election candidate Mannix Flynn on the Late Late Showa week before the poll.

The commission found that RTÉ breached broadcasting legislation in relation to fairness, objectivity and impartiality and said presenter Pat Kenny did nothing to tone down Byrne’s comments.

Details of the commission’s decision on this complaint emerged last month.