My Channel Falls Foul of U.K. Regulator's Bad Language Rules

LONDON – My Channel, available to subscribers of U.K. satellite TV giant BSkyB, found itself grappling with media watchdog Ofcom after broadcasting coverage of the show Insane Championship Wrestling.

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The regulator found the channel, owned and operated by Enteraction TV Learning, in breach of its regulations on offensive language after a show airing in the early morning that included such words as "mindf---," "mindf---ery" and simply "f---."

A viewer alerted Ofcom to the profanity in the broadcast, considering it inappropriate language for just before six o'clock in the morning. Ofcom said it watched a recording of the show "and noted examples of offensive language" and the times.

Ofcom found that 5 minutes and 42 seconds into the broadcast, the commentator said: “If you have never seen his opponent, you are in for a first class mindf---.” He added: “I honestly think that the mindf---ery... I'm at a loss for how else to describe it....” And to cap it all, the crowd then started chanting "You sick f---."

Ofcom's broadcast code requires that "material unsuitable for children should not, in general, be shown before 21:00 or after 5:30."

The channel operators apologized to Ofcom and said that it takes its compliance responsibilities very seriously. It also acknowledged the program contained language unsuitable for the time, right after 5:30am. The program was originally due to be broadcast at 3am, but instead was scheduled for 5:00am "due to human error," it said.

The channel confirmed that the person responsible for the error had been disciplined, and My Channel also broadcast an apology on-air after the incident at the end of May this year. The on-air apology and the explanation from the channel's management will mean the channel goes on to fight another day.