Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Daytime brawls on TV fall foul of ITC

Jackie Burdon
Sunday 09 August 1998 18:02 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

BROADCASTERS HAVE fallen foul of television watchdogs for screening fight-filled episodes of the cult Jerry Springer Show during the day when children might be watching.

The Independent Television Commission agreed with viewers that three programmes in the confrontational American series, which features bouncers to separate angry guests, contained too much violence for pre-watershed slots. Two were screened on UK Living and one on ITV - both broadcasters have made the controversial series a cornerstone of their daytime schedules.

LWT said it has now assured the ITC no future daytime episode would contain similar violence.

The Jerry Springer Show has also run into controversy in the United States, where some participants have claimed they were urged to fake fights to make it more sensational.

Since ITV moved its weekday screenings of the show from a late-night slot to lunchtime the ITC received 86 complaints, many objecting to the series in principle. It has moved again and is now shown at 9.25am. Fifteen viewers complained about the Springer show subtitled "I'm Here To Stop Your Wedding", shown on ITV on 31 May this year, which contained "a higher level of physical aggression" than previous episodes in the slot.

"Typically, the entrance of a new participant was a cue for a physical attack, including one assault which appeared to draw blood," the ITC said.

The studio audience joined in the action with chants of "Je-rry, Je-rry," it said.

An LWT spokeswoman said it had been "rigorous" in checking that the programmes complied with guidelines, and had believed this particular episode would have been acceptable for lunchtime broadcast during the school term when few children could watch.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in