Soaps need to wash their mouths out

Soaps and reality programmes have contributed more to the rise in offensive language on TV than other genres, according to research from Ofcom.

Swearing is starting earlier in the evening and there is "more offensive language used on television today than a few years ago", is the media regulator's verdict.

ITV1's Hell's Kitchen, ITV1 daytime show Trisha and BBC1 soap EastEnders were cited by viewers surveyed as examples of programmes that use strong language - although respondents were unable to cite specific examples in EastEnders.

"Most of the participants in the research believed that the use of offensive language on television had increased over time and that the language used has become stronger," Ofcom concluded.

"Even those participants who claimed not to be personally offended by anything they had heard noted this apparent trend."

"Respondents felt: that swearing and offensive language occurred across a range of programming types and channels; that it started earlier in the evening; and that soaps and reality programmes had contributed to this decline more than other genres. However, when asked to give specific examples, most participants found it hard to recall details."

The Ofcom report, Language and Sexual Imagery in Broadcasting: A Contextual Investigation, also lists the words people find most offensive.

Top of the Ofcom list is" cunt", which remains the "most offensive word to the majority"; while "motherfucker" is still considered "the most offensive insult with sexual connotations".

"Bugger" is the least offensive slang word, but "fuck" or "fucking" is "strongly disliked by many and very offensive most of the time".

Ofcom showed 18 clips of popular shows to 173 people of varying age ranges and backgrounds from around the country.

They were asked for their opinions about the language and sexual imagery used. The general consensus was that strong language is being used earlier in the evening.

Some participants associated this with soaps. One young woman surveyed said: "I have to say on EastEnders about three or four years ago they weren't even allowing the terms 'bitch', 'slag', 'cow'; you weren't allowed to say anything like that, whereas now it is coming out."

The report adds: "There was a general tendency among the respondents to dislike strong language in soap operas due to the early evening transmission time and large family viewing profile. However participants were prepared to accept the occasional use of offensive language, eg 'bitch', at moments of high drama and tension."

However, Ofcom said audience perceptions of the level of swearing were sometimes affected by violent storylines, when in fact the amount of offensive language was less than people thought.

Apart from soaps, reality shows were mentioned more frequently than any other programming type when discussing strong language.

A young British Asian viewer told Ofcom: "It has got worse, especially on reality shows, for example, Big Brother."

The viewers were asked to mark the clips of the TV shows they were shown out of 10, depending on how offensive they found them.

Ofcom carried out the study earlier this year as part of a series of research projects commissioned to help it compile its new broadcasting code.

But the regulator kept the findings under wraps until after it had resolved an objection raised by the BBC.

The corporation said it was unfair to blame flagship soap EastEnders for bad language on TV. The BBC said the BBC1 soap did not contain swearing as it airs before the 9pm watershed.



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