The UK’s television regulator OFCOM has finally delivered a verdict on the controversial Celebrity Big brother racism issue just in time for the launch of the new (normal) BBUK for 2007. Most complaints concerning the mimicking of accents, using the term “white trash” and of course the issue at the center of the incident, where Jade and Shilpa argued about an OXO stock cube, were considerfed “not in breach” of any broadcasting regulations. The matter of Jade Goody referring to Shilpa as “the Indian” is deemed resovled although OFCOM felt that Davina should have been “firmer in questioning” during the eviction interview. They concluded that the show did breach the rule that “Broadcasters must when applying generally accepted standards ensure that material which may cause offence is justified by the context”. Three incidents were highlighted: (1) Jo and Danielle’s remarks about cooking in India, (2) Danielle’s “fuck off home” and “can’t speak English properly” and (3) Jade’s infamous “Shilpa Poppadom”. Although the main breach actually involves something Channel 4 didn’t even broadcast. Apparently on the evening of Tuesday 16 January after the stock cube fight, a discussion took place with reference to the term “Paki” through rhyming slang. Even unbroadcast, OFCOM felt it demonstrated C4’s lack of proper control over the show content. There has been no fines but they are being forced to air 3 apologies on different and significant occasions.
If you’re bored you should checkout some of the complaints OFCOM has to investigate. For example, in err they call it Issue number 74 on 27/11/06 you’ll see a little way down the page that a total of three viewers felt that Jayne Kitt refering to herself as a “cunt” to housemate Nikki Grahame and then shortly after using the word “fuck” was unacceptable before the watershed.