Q: I have been offended by a broadcast. How may I lodge a complaint?   A: See "Criteria for a complaint" on this website for information regarding the complaint process.

Q: What is the BCCSA and how can it help me?   A: The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) is an independent, domestic, administrative tribunal in the field of broadcasting (both radio and television).  The Commission comprises 12 part-time members: a Chairperson plus 11 commissioners. Three full-time staff are employed in the Johannesburg [...]

Q: How does the BCCSA adjudicate complaints against broadcasters?   A: Each complaint lodged with the BCCSA is evaluated by the registrar. A decision is then made as to whether the complaint is prima facie proof of a contravention of the Code of Conduct; in other words, would the complaint be upheld by a Tribunal [...]

Q: Can a harmful advertisement be removed?   A: The BCCSA has no jurisdiction over advertisements, and complaints should be lodged with the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASASA) (see www.asasa.org.za). However, the BCCSA does deal with promotional material (promos) for broadcasts such as films.  Promos broadcast during family time may not contain adult [...]

Q: Can the BCCSA prevent the broadcast of scenes of violence against women and children?   A: A basic rule applied by the BCCSA is that all material should be judged in context.  In a bona fide drama, for instance, an assault scene may considered to be an integral aspect of development of the plot; [...]

Q: How can I protect my children from viewing upsetting and harmful material?   A: The BCCSA codes have built-in protection for children.  All TV broadcasters are required to adhere to the "watershed" rule, which permits the broadcast of adult material during times when children are unlikely to form part of the audience: for free-to-air [...]

Q: Can the BCCSA order a broadcaster not to screen material that has violent scenes?   A: Clause 6 of the Free-to-Air Code prohibits the broadcast of material that is harmful or disturbing to children in programmes that are likely to have a large number of children in the audience.  Broadcasters are required to exercise [...]

Q: How can children be protected from hearing embarrassing sexually suggestive jokes and seeing nudity on television screens?   A: The BCCSA receives many complaints relating to the content of certain "breakfast show" and "afternoon drive" radio programmes.  Some presenters push the limits of what is regarded as acceptable. Even though their target audience is [...]

Q: Is pornographic material permitted on South African television?   A: While pornography is not defined in either of the Codes, both of them do however  prohibit the broadcast of child pornography, bestiality (sexual intercourse with an animal) and explicit sexual scenes. However this prohibition does not apply to bona fide scientific, documentary, dramatic or [...]

Q: Are one-sided, biased programmes allowed to be aired?   A: When controversial issues of public importance are discussed, both Codes require that the broadcaster should make a reasonable effort to present opposing points of view. Issues should be presented in a balanced way, allowing the audience to make up its own mind.  In discussions [...]