A film that should have been broadcast after the watershed was, as a result of a scheduler’s negligence, broadcast during the morning. Although the Tribunal agreed that the mistake was not deliberate, M-Net, a subscription broadcaster under the BCCSA jurisdiction, must be held responsible for the negligence of the scheduler involved. The issue that was [...]
M-Net conceded in its response and also during argument before the Tribunal that an error had been made and that the Code for Subscription Broadcasters had been contravened. The argument before the Tribunal dealt with circumstances which could be regarded as mitigating in so far as sanction is concerned. The Tribunal agreed that such mitigating [...]
Complaint that Respondent had wrongly implicated the Complainant in a programme targeting companies that allegedly provide courses for which they are not registered. Tribunal holding that a reasonable viewer would not have identified the complainant with such a contravention. Complainant only included indirectly. Main focus of programme a different company, which did not lodge a [...]
The complainants complained that a product called an Electro Smart apparatus had been misrepresented in an insert shown on Carte Blanche. They complained that Electro Smart was portrayed as a mere timer. It was also implied that it did not save electricity. A further complaint was that Carte Blanche failed to properly deal with a [...]
A complaint was received by the Registrar as to parts of a stand-up comic’s presentation after 23:00 on M-Net, a subscription broadcaster. During the lengthy presentation there was also, after an hour and a half, a crude reference and description of sexual abuse of children. This description was at the core of the complaint. Held: [...]
Promo containing graphic scenes of violence and horror screened before the watershed at a time when large numbers of children might be expected to be part of the audience. Fine imposed in view of frequent reprimands previously issued. [2011] JOL 26626 (BCCSA) CLICK TO VIEW FULL JUDGMENT
The Registrar received a complaint from a viewer in regard to the broadcast at 18:30 of promotional material for a film that broadcast after the watershed which, for subscription broadcasters, is 20:00. The complainant stated that she had no problem with M-Net advertising its new show, but had a problem with children being exposed to [...]
M-Net screened a film at 20:00 which dealt with a mature subject and included a sex scene, which was rather explicit. A complaint was received from a person who was concerned about the early screening of the film at 20:00. The Tribunal held that M-Net had taken wide-ranging steps to inform parents and other guardians [...]
Many complaints were filed with the Registrar of the BCCSA about the series Reaper broadcast by M-Net. The core of the complaints was that the film portrayed the Devil as involved in the life of a young man who had just turned 21. His parents had sold his soul to the Devil so as to [...]
On the 27th April 2008 M-Net, in its weekly “Carte Blanche” journal programme, broadcast an insert concerning the loss of all but one of Durban’s Blue Flag beaches. The Blue Flag signifies an international standard for cleanliness of sea water and the surrounding beach area. The Head of Water and Sanitation in the eThekwini municipality [...]