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DStv fined R10k for showing penis

Cape Town – DStv is in hot water again after the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) fined pay TV operator MultiChoice R10 000 for showing a man's penis and full frontal male nudity during a game show rated PG13.

On game show Banzai, broadcast on Sony Max channel 126, viewers had to guess "who has the biggest package" among five young men dressed in small, tight-fitting Speedos of different colours.

The men were poised on stage as a camera zoomed in on each man's Speedo – each contestant was then given a chance to step forward and put their hands in their Speedos. The “winner” then dropped his Speedo and showed physical proof of his massive manhood on the show, rated PG13.

"When the third man steps forward, he does not put his hand in his Speedo, but he pulls it down and exposes his very long penis in a close shot full in the face of the viewer," said the BCCSA in the judgment.

Big impression

"The scene lasts only a few seconds, but the shot is close enough to make a lasting impression on the viewer. Thereafter the third man is declared the winner. One has to conclude that the remaining two men have shorter penises, so the viewer is spared further shots of genitals," said the BCCSA.

"We fortunately have no children, but if we had, what use would PG13 have been?" a complainant wrote to the BCCSA. "I feel it's extremely inappropriate to show scenes like these where most people have access to it."

"MultiChoice concedes that classification of PG13 was not suitable for the episode in question and it was due to an error on the on the side of the channel provider," MultiChoice told the BCCSA.

"MultiChoice apologised to the complainant for the inconvenience caused."

BBCSA is concerned

In its judgement, the BCCSA found that for South African television, according to the broadcasting code, "the close shot of a full frontal 'in your face' penis was offensive to viewers, even the broadminded, balanced and not oversensitive ones".

MultiChoice had the option to present a written response for mitigation before the BCCSA levelled a fine but the pay TV operator chose not to.

The BCCSA said it is concerned with the "recurrence of contraventions in this regard" by MultiChoice. The BCCSA fined MultiChoice R10 000 for the contravention which DStv has to pay by May 15.

MultiChoice was recently found to be in breach of incorrect age restriction classification, also by the BCCSA, after complaints regarding the screening of mafia themed programming on the National Geographic Channel during the day.
 
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