Ofcom finds BBC in breach of Broadcasting Code

by Rhonda J Mangus | March 26, 2009 at 03:36 am

434 views | 66 Recommendations | 16 comments

Ofcom, responsible for licensing all UK commercial television and radio services, finds BBC in breach of UK Broadcasting Code after BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles imitated Pop Idol winner Will Young by adopting "...an effeminate and high pitched voice."

An Ofcom judgement released earlier this week found the BBC in breach of the Broadcasting Code following complaints from eight listeners.

The complaints regarded a Chris Moyles Breakfast programme broadcast on the 20th January 2009 where the DJ discussed the birthday of the Pop Idol winner Will Young.

During the broadcast, Moyles imitated the singer by singing alternative versions to his well known singles 'Evergreen' and 'Leave Right Now'.

During both songs, the media regulator found that Moyles "adopted an effeminate and high pitched voice."

Ofcom said that although the comments were not intended to cause offence, that Moyle's language could reasonably have been perceived by listeners as "hostile and pejorative" and had the potential to cause offence.

Moyles was criticised in 2006 for describing a mobile phone ringtone he disliked as "gay".

Is the BBC "Institutionally Homophobic"?

A PinkNews.co.uk survey has found that 69 per cent of respondents think Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles should be sacked over a "homophobic" imitation of gay singer Will Young.

The figures come after Chris Smith, the former head of Ofcom, criticised the BBC for allowing Moyles to continue making anti-gay comments.

Sixty-seven per cent of the 200 readers surveyed that an unwillingness to discipline other stars such as Jeremy Clarkson over similar comments showed that the BBC was institutionally homophobic.

When asked whether the BBC would take a stronger line if such jokes were about black, Asian or disabled people, 91 per cent thought it would.

Only one per cent thought it would treat anti-gay jokes more seriously and four per cent said it would treat them the same.

Speaking exclusively to PinkNews.co.uk last night, Mr Smith said the BBC needed to take "a more severe line" against the presenter.

Responding to a question on why homophobia is seen as less serious as racism, he said: ""I suspect the reason why there is a difference in the way racism and homophobia are treated is that we haven't yet changed attitudes as far as we need to in order to get people to realise just how unnacceptable homophobia is.”

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itslefty

at 04:48 on March 26th, 2009

Chris Moyles should be sacked not just because of this incident although it does reinforce the reasoning . He turns the heads of the youth and preys upon their prejudices, not a very good role model. and a crap DJ to boot.

An overpaid member of the BBC elite (shame)

Paschen

at 05:33 on March 26th, 2009

I never listen to any of his programs, yet read about him a lot in the press where he makes the head line and not for positive reasons either.

Amy Judd

at 07:42 on March 26th, 2009

Chris Moyles is known for this kind of behaviour - I'm just surprised to hear it took this incident for Ofcom to fine the BBC

Roy C

at 07:46 on March 26th, 2009

The story is important but the offense should be taken care of by the BBC because they own the show.

Having a government agency do this means you have censorship and an institutionalized limiting of Freedom of Speech.

Certainly if he had made fun of Bush, no one would have objected.

mudricky

at 08:46 on March 26th, 2009

He has millions of people tuning everyday, people get to know what he's like. If he offends don't tune in.

He must be doing something right or he would have no ratings.

Simple, vote with the dial.

jazzyzazzy

at 09:11 on March 26th, 2009

Chris oh Chis what have you done now ? naughty boy go sit in the corner.

generaldecay

at 09:43 on March 26th, 2009

Aw man! At last. It's a shame it had to come to this but it's about time the behaviour of that offensive and obnoxious worm Chris Moyles was addressed. Sack him!

eastvanray

at 10:32 on March 26th, 2009

What a bunch of crap! Headline should read "Whiney Brits too thin skinned to deal with life" If so many people hate this DJ then his ratings will suffer and he will lose his job. If not then he deserves to keep his position. Let the people decide his fate with their radio dials.

itslefty

at 14:10 on March 26th, 2009

The BBC is funded like no other.

We "Whiney Brits too thin skinned to deal with life" or better described as the BBC licence fee payer.

In this FREE democratic society.... We are forced to fund the BBC whether we like to or not.

The BBC chase ratings like a hungry wolf when they don't need to.

Viewing figures at the BBC whether they go up or come down don't matter to the Beeb or their employees because they have guaranteed funding (over 3 Billion £'s worth annually) .

I am sure that if the 29 million homes that are made to pay for the BBC, if we had a vote on whether Chris Moyles stays or goes, he'd be out like a shot closely followed by his unfunny work colleague Jonathan Ross.

eastvanray

at 14:15 on March 26th, 2009

How high is his show rated? If he is not listened to by many people he should be fired just for that reason.

itslefty

at 14:34 on March 26th, 2009

As discussed in my last submission "The BBC don't need ratings" we pay anyway.

This is from the Daily Mirror website 17/10.2008

Gobby Chris Moyles told his listeners he is "gutted" after another 190,000 of them snubbed his Radio 1 show.

The breakfast DJ, 34, suffered the second fall of the year and is down from a high of 7.72 million in April to 7.02 million. Radio 1 as a whole put on nearly 200,000 listeners in three months.

eastvanray

at 14:37 on March 26th, 2009

I understand that they do not "need" ratings but does the BBC not attempt to reach as many people as possible?

itslefty

at 15:52 on March 26th, 2009

TV Licensing and Capita group are the people that reach as many people as they can, they collect the fee using the same bullying tactics that every other money collector uses, Threats, Intimidation and Harassment.

Every household in the UK is deemed to have a Television and therefore deemed to owe the TV Licence Fee, until they can prove otherwise.

Personally, there is nothing on the BBC that keeps me happy, If there were I may be happy to subscribe to their service but I and 29 million other households don't get to make that personal choice.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 13:18 on March 26th, 2009

Thanks to everyone who read, commented on, and/or recommended this story!

generaldecay

at 07:00 on March 27th, 2009

Update:

BBC Radio 1 controller Andy Parfitt has warned Chris Moyles about his on-air behaviour, after the breakfast host mocked singer Will Young's sexuality. "I made it absolutely perfectly clear to him and everyone at Radio 1 that we don't condone bullying or homophobia or anything else like that," Parfitt said. Media regulator Ofcom recently censured Moyles for parodying the gay singer. Parfitt said Moyles made a mistake and added: "As long as people work within the rules, then their future's secure."