Playboy TV fined £25,000 for screening hardcore movie

by Sam Matthews,, Brand Republic 11-Feb-05, 11:00

LONDON - Ofcom has slapped a £25,000 fine on Playboy TV after the satellite channel broadcast a hardcore pornographic film in breach of the programme code.

Benelux, owners of Playboy TV, broadcast R18 material, which under the 1.4 of the programme code "should not be transmitted at any time".

The film in question 'Sandy Babe Abroad' was broadcast after midnight on May 1 last year.

Playboy TV also breached its free-to-air promotional rules when it broadcast material at 8.30pm on its promotional channel, available to all satellite viewers, not just Playboy TV subscribers.

Ofcom said "any such infringement is not to be tolerated". In view of the seriousness of the free-to-air promotional breach, which could have been watched by children, the media watchdog fined Benelux £25,000.

In addition, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is in the process of banning adult channel Extasi after "unacceptable" violent pornographic images from the satellite channel reached the UK.

Extasi TV is broadcast from outside the UK but received in this country via the satellite. The restrictions will come into place on February 21 if there are no objections from Parliament.

Broadcasting minister Andrew McIntosh said: "I was notified by Ofcom that the content of satellite channel Extasi TV is unacceptable and should be the subject of a proscription order.

"Under the requirements of the Act, I have viewed material from the channel and consider that a proscription order would be in the public interest, in particular to ensure that children are not exposed such potentially harmful material."

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