Gillian Farquhar
DURING the past six months the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA), which consists of 14 committee members and operates on an annual budget of just less than R500 000, has received a total of 130 complaints. Some of these complaints are listed below:
Biased reporting: SABC 3 – The Chief, August at 9pm: A programme which dealt with abortion. Complaints were received from two significant sections of the local population – the members of most “free churches”, and the possible majority of the population who support the Pro-Life viewpoint. Finding: Requested more details. No response received. Complaint dismissed.
Offensive material: SABC 3 – Point Blank, August 15 at 9.30pm: The complaint concerned foul language – most decent law- abiding citizens do not want to be exposed to “gutter language” in their homes. Finding: The broadcast amounted to a documentary on homosexuals and transvestites in a rural setting. Given the time of broadcast and the characters portrayed, the crudities did not transgress the code, were not accentuated and formed an integral part of the characters portrayed. Complaint dismissed.
Indecency/Bad taste: SABC 3 – The Works, August 13 at 9pm: The programme featured the drug Ecstacy. All commentators featured were favourably inclined to use the drug, except one. The presenters were attempting to cast themselves in the role of those totally sympathetic to the rave culture which fosters the use of this drug. Complaints were that the SABC was abetting this misguided and amoral attitude. Finding: People have different norms and that these were depicted in a programme does not amount to a contravention of the code.
Offensive to privacy or religious convictions: SABC TV news and Radio Swazi – July 23: Complainants said news coverage concerning deaths and infection of youths during circumcision and a phone-in programme on the issue encouraged perception of the custom as barbaric and was an invasion of privacy. Finding: The necessary sensitivity was shown in broadcasting customs considered secret. The accent was on objective news and open discussion without transgression into the privacy of the custom itself.
Harmful to children: SABC 3 – Side Effects, August 7 at 7pm: Programme about a gay couple who wanted to have a baby. Complainant said this was distasteful and should not be broadcast during family viewing time. Finding: No information given on channel or date of screening. Complaint dismissed.
Other complaints included one from Barend “Witwolf” Strydom who found a news clip offensive to the Afrikaner people as it featured the launch of a veteran society for Umkhonto weSizwe cadres; the SABC licence advert featuring a robocop or prison bars was distasteful; “unhappiness” about pronunciation of the English language; the repetition of local dramas was boring; adverts were irritating; and a Good Morning South Africa presenter having skew teeth.