Media

OfCom issues new guidelines for explicit lyrics on radio

By | Published on Wednesday 21 December 2011

OfCom

Media regulator OfCom has released its previously promised new guidelines for UK radio stations which aim to bring broadcasters in line when it comes to inappropriate tracks being played during the daytime.

In theory rules banning inappropriate lyrics already exist, but the media regulator said last month that too many stations are routinely breaking those rules, and the new guidelines will be clearer about what is and isn’t suitable. These guidelines are also designed to deal with those aforementioned concerns that children are too frequently exposed to inappropriate content in this here Broken Britain.

Subject matter is as relevant as the quantity of swear words, says OfCom in its new guidelines, stressing that “radio broadcasters should avoid broadcasting lyrics that clearly focus on the taking of drugs, sexual acts or behaviour, or convey a clearly sexualised theme, when children are particularly likely to be listening”.

Times when children are likely to be listening are listed as 6am to 9am and 3pm to 7pm on weekdays during term time, and 6am to 7pm at weekends, though I knew a child once who stayed up to 7.10pm. I dread to think what sort of filth he’d be hearing in those dangerous ten minutes after seven.



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