In the UK, on TV, programmes are allowed to have naughty words and themes more prevalent after 8pm, graduating through stronger swearing and themes from 9pm, through to out and out porn after 10pm.
Both TV and Radio in the UK are regulated by OfCom, who have, thus far, refused to allow a watershed on radio. In other words, swear words (other than mild cussing) cannot ever be broadcast on radio (even the BBC got slapped for a comedy show broadcast after 10pm which included the "f" word a couple of years ago).
Do you think this is right? Or should we be allowed to play songs with swear words in after a certain time? Should DJs be allowed to swear?
Over to you for your opinions! You can also vote at https://www.crossfireradio.net/forum/crossfire-radio-polls/should-there-be-a-watershed-on-radio-like-there-is-on-tv
The fact that there has never been a watershed on radio is ridiculous, all forms of broadcasting media should have had the watershed introduced at the same time.
Live tracks will contain swearing in them because of the emotion of the event so it is important that radio stations have a watershed so that these songs can be played without the DJ having to apologise for an f bomb being aired.
I don't think the DJ should be able to swear, that's a definite no-no but I agree that there should be a watershed.
Yep i think there should be a watershed of 9pm for the reasons Doc stated with live recordings etc, as for the DJ swearing absolutely not. What really annoys me is OfCom wont allow UK based stations to play songs with bad language in them but stations outside the UK are not affected, if we were based in the USA we could play what we like at any time of day!!
Agree with all the comments above. Whilst there are certain words (such as the C word) that should NEVER be used, there are many live tracks that contain the F word - spoken by the singer in the euphoria of the crowd reaction! The watershed needs to be relaxed to 9 pm IMHO.
Totally agree. Even the Hotel Inspector said F**k 3 times the other night and she's such a nice lady lol.
Also agree with you Darren. You only have to look at what the film makers get away with now at the cinema, let alone the TV. A lot of great tracks cannot be played due to this ruling.
Like in TV and movie, the rules should be revised a lot more often. Certainly after 9pm the rules should be relaxed.
Completely agreed with you there Baron, there are so many great songs, some of which have a single F bomb in them, but cannot be played due to this rule and more often than not, there are not clean edits available to purchase, which means we cannot promote bands which have explicit lyrics. I just wish that we were able to play these songs the way they were made to be listened to.
From my point of view, the lack of a watershed on what songs you can play is a nonsense. Whilst I firmly believe DJs should not swear on air I don't see anything really wrong with playing songs with the occasional F word after a certain time. In fact I remember wanting to play Wait by Vandenburg which has the word "sh*t" in the chorus years ago and couldn't. Ofcom have revised the rules recently and now you can plays songs with that word, and the word "bastards", so long as it's not used aggressively and you give a pre-warning. But worse words, no.
The hypocrisy of course, is that rap songs that basically talk about "doing their hoes" and slapping them around, are allowed because they don't use naughty words, but are very aggressive against women in tone!
To me, we should follow the TV guidance, using a 7pm to 10pm graduated scheme. I'm still not sure I want to hear the C word in a song come over the airwaves, and I deffo don't think the DJs should swear, but when Gabby Young sings "and maybe I am a little f*&*&ed up", completely in the context of the song, in a self-deprecating non-aggressive way, I just don't see why that shouldn't be played after 7pm, and certainly should be allowed after 8pm.
Just my thoughts.