/ 7 June 2007

DJ seeks legal advice after suspension

Gareth Cliff, radio presenter on 5fm, is seeking legal opinion after he was suspended from broadcasting for two days, his agent said on Thursday.

”He is seeking legal opinion from his lawyer for his two day removal from the station… and also the matter must still go to the BCCSA [Broadcasting Complaints Commission] following a complaint laid by a man who had been listening to the show,” said his agent, Rina Bloomberg.

Cliff was suspended last week after playing a news clip in which a Bangladeshi national’s watermelon shop had been looted in the Free State. The complainant reported the matter to the BCCSA as he had felt that the replaying of the clip was insensitive and that Cliff had replayed it as a means to attract attention to himself.

Bloomberg said that Cliff ”was making the point that people can find humour in human emotions”.

The news clip was played twice during Cliff’s morning show three weeks ago.

”He was only removed from the station last week; he is now back on air again.”

Asked of Cliff’s whereabouts, Bloomberg said: ”He is going in for a photo shoot for Idols as auditions for the show have started.”

In March 2004 Cliff was suspended for two days after conducting ”an interview with Jesus” on air. — Sapa