OTTAWA – Comments made by the hosts of the Dean Blundell Show, broadcast on CFNY-FM (102.1 The Edge, Toronto), violated the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ Code of Ethics, Equitable Portrayal Code and Violence Code, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) has found.
In the first decision, the CBSC examined two ‘Edge Files’ segments in which the hosts comment on unusual news stories. The CBSC’s Ontario Regional Panel concluded that a graphic discussion about a woman who had skinned a cat in order to make a fur costume was gratuitous contrary to Clause 9 (a) of the CAB Code of Ethics and glamorized violence contrary to Article 9.1 of the CAB Violence Code. Other conversations about news stories with sexual elements, however, were not so explicit as to constitute a breach of the Code. A story about the mistreatment of autistic children also did not violate any Code provisions, the decision reads.
In the second decision, the CBSC examined multiple segments of the show from different broadcast dates. The Ontario Panel concluded that jokes about Jesus Christ’s sex life violated the CAB Equitable Portrayal Code and a reference to all women as “sluts” breached both that Code and the CAB Code of Ethics. Other comments about women’s body parts and the use of the word “gay” to mean “stupid” did not violate those Codes.
In the third decision, the CBSC examined a segment entitled ‘Wha’ Happened?’ in which callers recount stories of unusual things that have happened to them and the hosts award a prize for the “best” one. A caller explained how he had hit a woman with his truck the previous night though the woman was not fatally injured and the man was not charged with any offence. The caller and hosts laughed about the situation. The Ontario Panel concluded that the segment did not promote, sanction or glamorize the act.
