East Coast Radio in Durban has been fined R10 000 for broadcasting a sexually explicit conversation featuring a pastor during the Phat Joe Show.
A listener driving three children – not her own — aged 11‚ 15 and 16 tuned into the “disgusting and inappropriate” discussion about sex just before 6pm at the end of January.
“It was very embarrassing to say the least‚” she noted in a complaint to The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa. “I’m still shocked that announcers could talk about the subject in so much detail.”
This is not the first time that Phat Joe’s show has irked some listeners‚ with the most recent complaint lodged against him in February for comments made about Down’s syndrome.
Broadcasting complaints commissioner Linda Venter said‚ “The fact that these children were not the complainant’s own children‚ probably made it even more embarrassing‚ since where parents would usually know their own children well and would know how to approach any questions or remarks in such circumstances‚ this was not the case here.”
“Discussions of this nature are essentially inappropriate on radio at times when children might be in the audience and would be beyond the contemporary South African standard of tolerance‚” said Venter.
East Coast Radio acknowledged that the content was inappropriate‚ apologised and said the matter would be addressed urgently with the producer of the show and his team. Venter was sceptical‚ noting there had been previous warnings issued to East Coast Radio and decided that a fine was appropriate.
The offended listener‚ who was not identified by her full name in the ruling‚ suggested that controversial‚ inappropriate‚ explicit topics and conversations should not be allowed during certain hours. “Do it later at night. I’m sure if the show is so successful‚ the listeners will listen to it‚ no matter what the time.”
The radio station was warned that “should the same kind of contravention recur in future‚ the sanction could increase exponentially if the circumstances so dictate”.
Mom‚ three children tune into explicit sex chat on car radio
East Coast Radio in Durban has been fined R10 000 for broadcasting a sexually explicit conversation featuring a pastor during the Phat Joe Show.
A listener driving three children – not her own — aged 11‚ 15 and 16 tuned into the “disgusting and inappropriate” discussion about sex just before 6pm at the end of January.
“It was very embarrassing to say the least‚” she noted in a complaint to The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa. “I’m still shocked that announcers could talk about the subject in so much detail.”
This is not the first time that Phat Joe’s show has irked some listeners‚ with the most recent complaint lodged against him in February for comments made about Down’s syndrome.
Broadcasting complaints commissioner Linda Venter said‚ “The fact that these children were not the complainant’s own children‚ probably made it even more embarrassing‚ since where parents would usually know their own children well and would know how to approach any questions or remarks in such circumstances‚ this was not the case here.”
“Discussions of this nature are essentially inappropriate on radio at times when children might be in the audience and would be beyond the contemporary South African standard of tolerance‚” said Venter.
East Coast Radio acknowledged that the content was inappropriate‚ apologised and said the matter would be addressed urgently with the producer of the show and his team. Venter was sceptical‚ noting there had been previous warnings issued to East Coast Radio and decided that a fine was appropriate.
The offended listener‚ who was not identified by her full name in the ruling‚ suggested that controversial‚ inappropriate‚ explicit topics and conversations should not be allowed during certain hours. “Do it later at night. I’m sure if the show is so successful‚ the listeners will listen to it‚ no matter what the time.”
The radio station was warned that “should the same kind of contravention recur in future‚ the sanction could increase exponentially if the circumstances so dictate”.
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