Violence, sex and swearing most likely to offend Irish audiences
1st November 05
Irish viewers and listeners are most likely to be offended by issues of violence sex and swearing, when seen or listened to on TV or radio a recent attitudinal survey has found. The survey also found that a quarter of the population claimed they had never been offended by anything on radio or television, while only 1% complained to the broadcaster about an item they deemed to be offensive. The attitudinal survey was conducted by Lansdowne Market research and commissioned by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI), as part of the development of its Code of Programme Standards.
When asked, top of mind, what offends on television or radio nowadays, 46% mentioned violence of any kind, 23% cited sex, while 22% found swearing and coarse language offensive. However, an important theme running throughout the survey results was the issue of context. Those interviewed found depiction of a graphic rape scene more acceptable as part of a detective drama than in a soap opera; 68% versus 88%, while comedians swearing or using coarse language on a comedy show was more acceptable than someone swearing as part of a news item; 39% versus 64%. Another important trend to emerge was in relation to time of broadcast, with issues of violence, sex, or coarse language being more acceptable for late night broadcasting than earlier in the day.
The attitudinal survey tried to determine the least acceptable swear words among those interviewed. The five least acceptable included two racial taunts, a sexual reference, a disability reference, as well as a term with religious connotations.
The depiction of minorities was also a potential source of offence for interviewees. A significant 80% stated that they would find strong negative statements being made about people with disabilities as part of a news report either fairly or totally unacceptable, while 74% said jokes about people with disabilities were unacceptable. Similarly, strong negative statements about gays and lesbians, Travellers, religious groups and immigrants were found to be either fairly or totally unacceptable for approximately 63% of the population.
Speaking about the survey results, Chief Executive of the BCI, Michael O’Keeffe said, “I believe that the survey results are particularly important as they give us a snapshot of opinion in Ireland on what most offends. They provide a backdrop for the Commission as it considers the submissions received to the first phase of consultation, and will additionally provide an important context as we set about devising specific provisions for the new Code of Programme Standards”.
The nationwide attitudinal survey is representative of the Irish population aged 15+ and was conducted among 1,000 people at 63 locations throughout the Republic of Ireland. The survey results displayed no distinct differences across the various social classes, but found that those surveyed in Dublin were slightly more offended by issues of sex and coarse language than across the rest of the country. On issues of swearing or violence, the survey found no distinct differences between those who had dependent children and those who did not.
This nationwide attitudinal survey was conducted by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland as part of phase one of the development of the Code of Programme Standards. This phase also included a public consultation process, together with a workshop at which all of the relevant issues were discussed with broadcasters. All of the information gathered will be considered by the Board of the BCI at its meeting in December and a statement of outcomes on phase one will be published before the end of 2005.
Show me a synopsis of the nationwide attitudinal survey.
| Catherine Logan | Aoife Clabby |
| Fleishman-Hillard | BCI |
| 01-618 8462 | 01-6441200 |