TV Sex Now A Viewer Turnoff?

Almost half the Australian nation is concerned about the level of steamy sex and violence on television, according to a major new study by the broadcasting watchdog. But the Australian Communications and Media Authority report has found excessive commercials are our biggest bugbear when it comes to the box, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The study, Digital Australians, examined the new media landscape and found consumers were positive about the growth of new online platforms even though traditional mediums were still most commonly used. The focus groups and survey of 1250 people over the first half of this year found 44 per cent of Australians had general concerns over risque television content despite regulations. In a result attributed by experts to looser laws in Australia, ACMA noted the proportion was more than the 40 per cent identified by a similar British government study conducted last year.


With top-rating programs such as MasterChef and The Renovators now using endless product placements, the report found 45 per cent listed excessive commercials as their biggest concern. Television violence (43 per cent) was the second biggest concern followed by too many reality programs (36 per cent) and the amount of sex beamed into loungerooms (32 per cent).

Not surprisingly, only 24 per cent of men were concerned about the amount of sex on television while a greater 38 per cent of women had a problem. "Females were more likely to be concerned about violence and sexual content, while males were more likely to be concerned about too many reality programs and too many British/American programs on television," the report said.

It also highlighted concerns of parents over television and the growth of catch-up TV on the internet where viewing is less regulated. ACMA said parents with children under 18 were more likely to select sexual content and nudity than other adults as areas of concern. One parent told the study: "I limit my childrens' exposure to watching the news due to the horrific images they show ... you can't do that online ... they come across all sorts of things."

Media commentator Susan Hetherington, who has studied the impact of television on children, yesterday said the higher concerns locally about television content than Britain was because Australia's regulations were not as strict. She said parents were particularly worried about adverts for late night shows screening in earlier timeslots. The growth of social networking was also examined, with almost half of respondents reporting visiting social networking sites to browse profiles in the past month.

Meanwhile, despite the more stringent regulations, a record number of British viewers have still complained about the increasing amount of violence and sex on television. Last year was the worst for grievances about standards on programmes, according to figures from the Broadcasting Standards Commission. Comic Relief on the BBC and Channel 4's World Wrestling Federation programme were among the major offenders. But the highest number of complaints - 427 - for a single programme during the year was for Anne Robinson's appearance on BBC2's Room 101 in which she criticised the Welsh.

The BSC's annual review - unveiled yesterday - showed that the total number of complaints about standards in 2000-2001 increased by three per cent to 4,920. A third of those were about sex and violence - an increase of two per cent on last year and the highest in the BSC's history. The BSC received 86 complaints in March about Comic Relief, the BBC1 charity event. Viewers were outraged at the sight of comedian Billy Connolly dancing naked round Piccadilly Circus in London and a scene involving a troupe of naked male dancers.

Channel 4's WWF show also attracted censure from the BSC. The channel attracted 14 per cent of complaints which were eligible for investigation by the BSC. This accounted for nearly a quarter of the cases upheld, the highest for any broadcaster. Despite the increase in the number of complaints, only ten per cent were upheld by the commission.

The BSC also highlighted its concern about the rise in the number of programme-makers using hidden cameras. The commission recently won a long-running case in the House of Lords against the BBC1 consumer show Watchdog about the programme's decision to film secretly in a branch of retail giant Dixons. The BBC was ordered to pay the costs of the judicial review, totalling around £27,000.