BBC gets tough on swearing, intimidation

The BBC Trust has pledged to introduce tougher guidelines on the use of swear words and the depiction of violence in the broadcaster's radio, TV and online content.

According to the Trust's latest review of Editorial Guidelines at the BBC, any shows using the three strongest swear words - f**k, motherf**ker and c**t - will have to get approval from an output controller after justifying the editorial validity.

In its report, the Trust said: "The research found that people accept that strong language can be appropriate within a programme but dislike it when used unnecessarily or excessively.

"Output controllers and programme or content producers should ensure that strong language, especially the strongest language, is subject to careful consideration and appropriate referral, to ensure it is editorially justified, before it is included in our output."

The guidelines also stipulate that greater care must be taken to signpost the usage of strong language in post-watershed programming so that viewers are properly warned. It also suggested greater bleeping of swear words, even after the watershed.

"When a section of content is editorially justified but the slot, channel or context are not appropriate for strong language, it may be necessary to edit or bleep language, even post-watershed," the Trust continued.

"Language that is bleeped for pre-watershed content must be thoroughly obscured, taking care to ensure also that the bleeped words are not then made obvious by visible mouth movements."

Strong language must never be used on the radio or pre-watershed "apart from the most exceptional circumstances", said the report, because children could be listening. It should also not be broadcast on web content that is "likely to appeal to a significant proportion of children".

The new standards further deal with reported public concern about the use of aggression and instances of intimidation on BBC programming, which must now be "proportionate to their target".

"Intimidation, humiliation, intrusion, aggression and derogatory remarks are all aspects of human behaviour that may be discussed or included in BBC output," said the trust.

"Some comedy can be cruel but unduly intimidatory, humiliating, intrusive, aggressive or derogatory remarks must not be celebrated for the purposes of entertainment. Care should be taken that such comments and the tone in which they are delivered are proportionate to their target."

The Trust is also holding a public consultation on its proposed guidelines for the first time ever, with licence fee payers able to have their say on the BBC's editorial standards until December 24. When approved, the new editorial standards will come into force in summer 2010.