CASE NUMBER: 56/2004 – SELANE VS SABC RADIO- METRO FM – HATE SPEECH

Complainant complained that discussion of the gay status of people with high public profiles in a talk show programme amounted to “homophobic rhetoric”.  Tribunal found no evidence that there was discrimination against gays. However, the presenter committed an indiscretion when she invited listeners to name people with high public profiles whom they thought to be gay.  Although this course of the programme was not allowed to continue and no persons were mentioned, both the producer and the presenter were internally reprimanded for the indiscretion.  The steps taken by the broadcaster against the persons involved were deemed to be sufficient. No contravention of the Code was found because there was no unfair discrimination, and the complaint was not upheld.