Ofcom has criticised MTV for airing a двуколка, концерт where Lady Gaga used the word “motherfucker”, while letting the BBC off the hook for broadcasting formula one champion Jenson Button saying “fuck”.

MTV aired a 30-minute performance by Lady Gaga as part of a broadcast of the Isle of MTV Музыка festival, which took place last summer. The Показать went out on 2 November at 4pm. Ofcom received a complaint that that the word “motherfuckers” was aired at a time when children could be watching.

MTV apologised, and сказал(-а) that a mistake at the company’s Italian offices had resulted in the replacement of its edited soundtrack with the original. MTV broadcast an on-air apology. Ofcom ruled that the Показать was in breach of rule 1.14 of the broadcasting code which states that the most offensive language must not be broadcast before the 9pm watershed.

However, Ofcom has cleared the BBC over its broadcast of a post-race conversation between formula one drivers, on the afternoon of 1 November, which featured Button swearing. As in the MTV case, one viewer complained that the language was inappropriate дана that the Abu Dhabi grand prix was broadcast in the daytime and Jenson swore at 12.10pm.

The BBC сказал(-а) that the post-race coverage was provided by formula one management and therefore the corporation had “limited control over the output and the conduct of the drivers”. The BBC also сказал(-а) that the majority of viewers would understand that live coverage of the “highly charged atmosphere” may lead to the occasional strong language. The BBC also pointed out that the programme commentator apologised on-air at the time, the word was used in “non-aggressive, friendly banter” and that it was removed from replays offered on the iPlayer.

Ofcom сказал(-а) that it accepted that live broadcasting poses “special compliance challenges”, especially when dealing with coverage from a third party. Ofcom ruled that the issue was “resolved”.

“Ofcom notes that the BBC does ask formula one to remind drivers to take care not to swear and that the BBC plans to reduce the risk of a similar incident happening again,” it сказал(-а) in its ruling. “In light of these factors, including the context and tone of this use of strong language, Ofcom has decided that the matter is resolved.”