OTTAWA – Brief mentions of sexual matters on a daytime radio show did not breach any broadcast codes, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) said Wednesday.
The CBSC examined the radio talk show Dupont le midi broadcast at 12:25 pm on May 17, 2011 on CHOI-FM (Radio X, 98.1, Quebec City) after a listener complained that the content was degrading and vulgar. During the broadcast, the hosts talked about the terms people use to describe their romantic relationships, particularly in the “relationship status” field on Facebook pages. Host Dupont joked that some of the options could be [translations] “I’m horny”, “I’m hot for you”, “I just want sex” and then suggested a sex-related term for his female co-host’s status.
The CBSC’s Quebec Regional Panel examined the complaint under Clause 9(b) of the CAB Code of Ethics, which prohibits the broadcast of “unduly sexually explicit material”, and under Clause 7 of the CAB Equitable Portrayal Code which states that broadcasters shall avoid airing degrading material. The Panel concluded that the content did not violate either of those Code provisions, as the references to sex were not detailed descriptions of sexual acts, and there was nothing insulting or degrading said about any individual or group.
The Panel also examined the broadcaster’s response to the complainant because it had erroneously addressed a different segment which the complainant later explained was not the subject of his complaint. The Panel concluded that the station had nevertheless met its obligation of responsiveness to the complainant because the original complaint had been vague about the actual content of concern.
Created in 1990 by Canada’s private broadcasters, the CBSC currently administers 7 codes which deal with ethics, equitable portrayal, violence, news and journalistic independence. Nearly 750 radio stations, satellite radio services, television stations, and specialty and pay television services across Canada are members.
