EE: Violence complaints upheld

[faceless]

EastEnders violence ruled out of order
February 25 2008.

Ofcom has criticised an episode of EastEnders in which a pregnant woman went into premature labour after a gang attacked the Queen Vic pub. The media regulator said the BBC1 soap breached broadcasting regulations with a "sustained, intense and high level of violence" that was inappropriate for a pre-watershed programme.

Ofcom, which received 78 complaints about the episode, rejected the BBC's defence that viewers had been warned about the scene by an on-air announcement immediately before the show. "This was a persistent attack on people and property. The initial scenes of the gang running amok in the pub was a sequence of sustained violence," Ofcom said in its ruling today. "In Ofcom's view the violence was not appropriately limited for this time of the evening when many children are available to view television."

The regulator criticised the "violent and intense scenes" in the episode broadcast on November 13 last year, in which a gang, looking for their former member Jase, attacked the Queen Vic. When Billy Mitchell's wife Honey, who was heavily pregnant, intervened to stop Jase being beaten up, she was knocked over and went into premature labour. She was rushed to hospital at the end of the episode, leaving it unclear whether the baby had survived.

The BBC, in its response to the complaints, said there had been a gradual build-up to the menacing storyline, which had alerted the audience to the gang's sinister nature and potential for violence. At the start of the episode the channel's continuity announcer told viewers: "And first a powerful EastEnders as a peaceful night is shattered. Things are about to turn very ugly at the Vic."

The BBC said the high level of complaints was down to viewers' fears that Honey had lost her baby, rather than the violent scenes themselves. But Ofcom said that only 13 out of the 78 complaints about the episode had referred to Honey's baby.

"Although EastEnders is not made specifically for children it does attract a significant child audience, and any portrayal of violence needs to be carefully considered," the regulator added. "The programme started with the gang attack on the Queen Vic. This involved a sustained, intense and high level of violence, destroying parts of the pub with hammers and bottles and glasses smashing into the furniture, to intimidate the locals, some of whom were injured. Regular viewers of EastEnders are aware that this soap deals, on occasions, with tough social issues. This is balanced, however, with the expectation that it will be suitable for children to view, who form a significant minority of the audience."

[Skylace]

I think it's absolutely ridiculous. I didn't think that episode was overly violent or disturbing. I would have no problem with a younger viewer watching it. People need to get over this kind of stuff. It's definitely no worse than what they can see on the news or read in text books. I hate this nannying attitude.

[eefanincan]

What a load of crap!

[misslisalynn]

78 complaints, that's it?! Out of how many million viewers? There is more violence shown on the 6 pm news than what was shown in that episode. Jeez, those few idiots need to find something else to do because obviously EE is not the show for them.

[faceless]

There really isn't that much 'prolonged aggression and violence' on the news, certainly not before 9pm anyway.

The producers obviously knew it was going to get complaints, but chose to do it anyway, which is probably the real reason why the complaint was upheld.

[faceless]

[Skylace]

Once again, please people. It's shocking what gets up people's noses. First off, I saw worse when I was a kid and my parents explained to me the difference between fantasy and reality. They don't find it disturbing that their little kiddies watch families fall apart and spouses and cheat on each other? And I am sure they don't mind them watching the news with all the real horrors to be honestly disturbed by.
No, let's start a raucous about the Geico Gecko being put in a box and buried in a fictional tv show.

[Lostinthestates]

I loved the show And just like you skylac I was thinking - Is this the end of the Geico Gecko

[eefanincan]

[Skylace]

[faceless]

Barry getting pushed off the cliff was funny.

I'd say the reason for this getting complaints is that it was done pretty well - and a well done piece of TV will draw the viewer into empathising with the character, who in this case was buried alive! Being probably one of the most disturbing ways to die, I'd say it is pretty violent and should be after 9pm. Most kids have tvs in their rooms these days, so parents aren't always there to change the channel (of course that's another argument!) and I know that as a kid I would get nightmares from seeing daft stories like that.

As a kid I couldn't even get into bed without checking for spiders after watching a James Bond movie - and that went on for years!

[pirtybirdy]

I have to say, Friday's and yesterday's episodes were pretty intense. I was thinking "what a sick way to die". I don't know. I'm on the fence with it. Some kids could handle it, maybe some couldn't. Since I don't have kids, I guess I'm just not familiar with the little buggers...lol!

[Lostinthestates]

I am with you pirty - I was actually feeling sort of uncomfortable when seeing Max in the box as I was thinking what a terrible way to go! But at the same time I thought he sort of deserved what he was getting! And to finish it all off I then felt sorry for him at the end of the show!! One of the best (by far) EE episodes, in my opinion! From me it gets either way!!

[Kezza]

Yup, it absolutely was disturbing -- which means the actors/writers/crew of EE should be applauded for conveying that drama. I'm definitely a member of the "change the channel club".

Furthermore, what disturbs me even more (and really chaps my ass, if I may be blunt) are "concerned citizens" whose efforts amount to nothing more than censorship -- now that's scary.

[faceless]

I don't think anyone was wanting censorship, just that it should have been shown after 9pm. Corrie does scenes in its 8:30 shows that you wouldn't get in the 7:30 ones for example, while Hollyoaks and even Footballer's Wives did late-night shows that allowed them all the freedom they wanted. I'd guess it's down to the weekend omnibus editions though - Sunday afternoon watching someone getting buried alive, it's not exactly Little House on The Prairie!