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BBC chiefs must approve use of 'worst' swear words
Amar Singh26 Nov 2008
BBC producers have been warned that swear words used across the corporation's output must be approved by the controller of each station or channel.
The sign-off policy has come in as the corporation overhauls its compliance procedures in the wake of the Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand phone prank row last month.
The BBC's top brass have informed its senior managers that the broadcaster cannot afford to invite further criticism over swearing, after it emerged that nobody at Radio 2 had listened to the show which featured the obscene calls Ross and Brand made to actor Andrew Sachs.
A group headed by the BBC creative director Alan Yentob, director of archive content Roly Keating and the chief adviser for editorial policy Claire Powell is "examining where the appropriate boundaries of taste and generally accepted standards should lie across all BBC output", ahead of a report to come out in the spring.
But until formal changes are made to its procedures next year, controllers of all BBC stations and channels are personally vetting each use of the most offensive swear words to ensure it is "editorially justified".
One senior TV producer at the BBC said: "The three worst swear words are automatically going right up to the controller, and we have been told that if in doubt with anything else, check with the controller as they are ultimately responsible for what goes out."
On Monday the BBC's Leadership Group - made up of its 150 most senior managers - met and discussed the issue and were told that ensuring editorial standards were met was a "high priority" in the current climate. Last week's report by the BBC Trust found a complete failure of Radio 2's compliance procedures in the broadcast of the Russell Brand show.
Lesley Douglas, the former Radio 2 controller, approved the phone prank show - which received more than 40,000 complaints - with a one-word email sent from her BlackBerry to the station's head of compliance Dave Barber, who had not listened to the entire show.
Both individuals lost their jobs over the error, which triggered a public debate on taste and decency at the BBC.
A BBC source said: "It's a ludicrous situation, as controllers are not there to micro-manage every instance of swearing.
"But the situation over swearing is so sensitive right now that controllers are directly making sure that nothing slips through on their watch."
BBC controllers include BBC1 chief Jay Hunt, who will check that there is no gratuitous swearing on programmes such as Live at the Apollo - the stand-up comedy show which is replacing Friday Night with Jonathan Ross during the presenter's suspension.
Similarly, BBC2 controller Janice Hadlow and BBC3 controller Danny Cohen will also check the use of swear words.
A BBC spokeswoman said: "All BBC programmes have to meet the... BBC Editorial Guidelines and the expectations of their audiences."
The Standard revealed this week that Ross will be ordered to cut swearing and sexual innuendo from his chat show when it returns in the new year.
Reader views (9)
Local football player get yellow card fro using f word. Costs them 8 quid fine
- Alan Pearmain, Preston, Lancs, 27/11/2008 13:42
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The profanity has become so un-shocking now, only idiots resort to it in their acting, performances, scripts etc. Its just not funny or provocative. Even Ramsay's swearing has worn thin and sounds more forced for effect than anything else.
- Trunk, US, 27/11/2008 04:04
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Any mention of the words, Ross, Brand, Norton, etc, would be a start.
- Rj, East Midlands, 27/11/2008 00:08
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Surely the word 'not' has been left out of the headline of Mr. Singh's piece? Otherwise it would seem, almost unbelievably from here, that BBC policy is that such unnecessary and disagreeable language must be used. Or is my understanding of correct and acceptable English language usage faulty?
- Michael.Knight, Geneva ,Switzerland, 26/11/2008 20:49
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Quite frankly that is the biggest load of bollocks I have read in a long time...
- Nick, London, 26/11/2008 13:52
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What is the third most offensive swear word? I need to know so I can be offended.
- Lester Burnham, Northumberland, UK., 26/11/2008 13:24
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Why do we need swearing on TV and radio at all? The landlord of my local would kick anyone out if they started swearing. Perhaps TV should reflect reality.
- Martin H Watson, Teddington, 26/11/2008 13:04
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Why must there be swearing at all? The BBC shouls stop swearing and give quality entertainment without rudesness and vulgarity. That cannot be a bad thing or is it viewers enjoy vulgarity?
- Gabriel, Edinburgh UK, 26/11/2008 12:37
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Great news. I hear more swearing watching a night of TV, than spending a night in the pub. If they are afraid of "micro-management", then they can cut back on the swearing and extend their vocabularies.
- Stephen, London, 26/11/2008 10:41
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