CASE NO: 17/2010 – BROCKHOVEN VS MULTICHOICE – CHANNEL 106 – INCITING VIOLENCE

This complaint concerns a rodeo show where, typically, there are scenes of cowboys trying to stay on bucking horses and on enraged bulls, but mostly succeeding in doing so only for a few seconds.  The complaint is that the broadcast on Channel 106 contained scenes that showed the explicit infliction of or the explicit effects of extreme violence, which constitutes incitement to cause harm in contravention of clause 9.5 of the Code of Conduct for Subscription Broadcasting Services.  Furthermore, the complaint is that the broadcast contained material which, judged within context, incites imminent violence, in contravention of clause 10.2 of the Code.  At the hearing, the Complainant explained that the bucking of horses was caused by the tightening of a buck strap and that the enraging of bulls was caused by an electric shocking device.  The Tribunal, however, found that the tightening of the buck strap and the application of the electric device would not be noticed by the average viewer, and that there was no scene depicting extreme violence. There was also no incitement to cause harm.  The Tribunal also found that none of the material broadcast could be regarded as inciting imminent violence. No contravention of the Code was found, and the complaint was not upheld.