The British Culture Secretary, Ms Tessa Jowell, will today register her anger with Channel 4 over its controversial spoof investigation into paedophilia.
Ms Jowell will also contact the Independent Television Commission (ITC) to discuss whether the regulatory body needs new powers to react more quickly to the kind of widespread public disquiet prompted by the Brass Eye programme.
She is concerned that Channel 4 repeated the programme shortly after it was first broadcast, despite the negative reaction from viewers and children's charities. Channel 4 has faced mounting criticism over the programme, with the Home Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, joining Ms Jowell in voicing distaste, and the child protection minister, Ms Beverley Hughes, branding the show "sick".
The ITC, which received 600 complaints, is to open an investigation into whether the programme broke its requirements on taste, decency and the use of child actors.
If it finds that its code was breached, the commercial television regulator could hit Channel 4 with an unlimited fine or even, theoretically, revoke its licence, although that ultimate sanction appears unlikely.
Channel 4 voiced regret that some viewers had found the "savage" satire offensive.
But it defended the decision to make and broadcast the programme which, it insisted, made a serious point about media sensationalism of paedophilia.
The station has received more than 2,000 calls about the show, which was first shown on Thursday night and was repeated the following evening.
The NSPCC described it as "crude and crass" and "offensive", and along with NCH, the NSPCC's National Child Protection Helpline, unsuccessfully called on the station not to air the repeat.
Mr Blunkett's spokesman made clear the Home Secretary's distaste for the programme, saying: "Mr Blunkett was pretty dismayed by the programme and did not find it remotely funny."