I have just been watching 'How not to decorate' on five and heard the following words which could be deemed not suitable for daytime viewing:-
p.i.s.s.
s.o.d.
b.l.o.o.d.y
The only word that was beeped out was f**k.
Is there a list of which which are now acceptable before the watershed?
s.o.d. and b.l.o.o.d.y. have other accepted uses in the English language besides their association with (mild) profanity. s.o.d. is often referred to as soil and b.l.o.o.d.y. can be used in the context of "it was a very b.l.o.o.d.y. war", as often seen on UKTV History.
p.i.s.s. has different meanings depending on which side of the pond you're on. to say "I'm p.i.s.s.e.d." means you are drunk (on this side of the pond), but it also means you're annoyed (in America). Source: Wikipedia, so take it with a pinch of salt.
F**k is definitely regarded as one of the strongest profanity words going so it would be bleeped.
I think the strongest profanity, as recognised by the BBFC is c**t. I don't think I have ever herd it not bleeped, and b.a.s.t.a.r.d is rarely heard before 9, even though it is actually a perfectly legitimate word!
Hmm.. It's fairly subjective as to whether those words would cause offence or not.
Broadcasters do take this kind of thing seriously, and before a programme's broadcast, someone will view it all the way through and make a note of any bad language (or anything else that might breach Ofcom's Broadcast Code) - they might make a pre-watershed version of it and cut bits out, or bleep or dip the audio around sweary bits.
(Incidentally, they'll also make a note of any references to famous people, floods, plane crashes, or anything else which might make it unsuitable for broadcast depending on recent news events).
In this case, someone at five's obviously decided that those words are OK for broadcast during the day.
I think the strongest profanity, as recognised by the BBFC is c**t. I don't think I have ever herd it not bleeped
You've just not been watching the right programmes I heard it most recently in The Chatterley Affair on BBC Four, although it was in a scene where the characters were discussing how offensive it was.
I remember a good gag on an episode of Lily Savage's ITV1 show "Lily Live!" (obviously on well after the 9pm watershed).
A floor manager or such like (presumably actually an actress, not a real crew member) approaches Lily with a clip-board. Lily has just said a relatively mild swear word (I can't remember what though).
The woman basically chides Lily that, even though it's after the watershed, there are limits on how many swear words one can say per hour, and how strong.
Lily reads aloud from the clipboard list. Something like "I can have four b*stards, two f*cks, and a sh*t..." or similar.
Then Lily notices a very particular word on the list she's reading. She says something like:
"Oh, there's a word beginning with C. I'm not gonna say it. No, I'm not. Oh, alright then... Carlton"
Hmm.. It's fairly subjective as to whether those words would cause offence or not.
Broadcasters do take this kind of thing seriously, and before a programme's broadcast, someone will view it all the way through and make a note of any bad language (or anything else that might breach Ofcom's Broadcast Code) - they might make a pre-watershed version of it and cut bits out, or bleep or dip the audio around sweary bits.
This is quite an interesting file, it shows the swear words in the complete Father Ted series so that other TV companies can buy episodes and edit them without having to watch the episodes themselves
Hmm.. It's fairly subjective as to whether those words would cause offence or not.
Broadcasters do take this kind of thing seriously, and before a programme's broadcast, someone will view it all the way through and make a note of any bad language (or anything else that might breach Ofcom's Broadcast Code) - they might make a pre-watershed version of it and cut bits out, or bleep or dip the audio around sweary bits.
Is it only me who finds the idea of a watershed for swear words a bit bizarre? Why is it that you can't say f*ck during the day, but once it ticks over to 9PM then you only need to warn of impending strong language and it's then fine?
People who find swearing offensive will do so whether the language is used in the middle of the afternoon or late at night. Similarly, people who have no problem with it will not care what time of day such language is used.
The traditional answer of course is to 'protect the children'. Aswell as finding the idea of the kiddiewinkles being safely tucked up in bed by 9PM a little bit laughable, what exactly are they being protected from? Words they allready use?
I'm not suggesting that we should start seeing the 9 O'Clock f*cking news or songs of s**ting praise, but surely it's time the idea of a cutoff time was dropped, and the decision as to whether or not swearing is allowed is based on the likelihood of the target audience to be offended by it or not.
I find this attitude to strong language quite bizarre. 'Childrens' programmes like Grange Hill are allowed to depict underage sex, incest, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, etc etc in much higher proportions than generally happen in a secondary school, but yet the characters are still confined to telling each other to 'naff off' and sort their 'flipping' life out etc - even though virtually all of it's target audience wouldn't find use of strong language offensive, and would probably respect it more for it's realism.
'Ah but you shouldn't have swearing on Coronation Street. It's family viewing which the small children who shouldn't be exposed to such words might be watching', I hear some people shout. Excuse me? 'Family viewing'? Because swearing is not allowed? Despite the content of the storylines it's 'family viewing' is it? People who use the absence or not of swearing as their only benchmark for a given programme being suitable or not for watching with their children have a very blinkered view of selecting suitable programmes.
As I said above, I think a rethink needs to happen. The present situation of a watershed makes no sense except in the minds of the 'outraged of Warrington' type people who write in to Points of View.
There were plenty of f**ks on the Hard-Fi concert on E4 over the Easter Holiday at 10am in the morning - it was repetitive. There was an on-screen apology, but they obviously couldn't be bothered to adjust E4+1 - as that carried the same f**ks!
