'Tamestation'

In some respects the situation seems to be similar to the way it was when BS1 first launched on FV. At that time the '18+' rule was banged out regularly every half hour or so and at the start of the FV service the girls were claiming the show was about to get hotter. Now they’re again mercilessly plugging the ‘18+’ warning and also (Reede on Partyland last night) claiming at the start of the FV period that the show is about to get even better than it was on Sky!

It's almost as if they think the recent channel re-ordering has produced a new set of FV viewers. (The 'if you've never seen us before' comments seem to me to have also increased.)

No, Cellcast, the new channel numbers haven't miraculously produced thousands of new Freeviewers, all the same Freeviewers are still out here and, in fact, you've actually moved FURTHER AWAY from most of them!!!

Here's a quick clipping of some of the producer-led pan-and-zooms and censorship from the past few days on the BS channels. Take particular note of what Dani says on mic with the clips of her and Geri and I left in how Caty said they were going to be "do[ing] naughty stuff" and then after barely touching each other and various evasive action by the cameraman via the producer she says they're getting in trouble because they're being too naughty.

Also bear in mind that these took place at the following times which means there shouldn't be 'not allowed' and as we've said there shouldn't be any different rules for Freeview because (as far as I know) the Ofcom rules and the way the channels are broadcast are identical for both Sky and Freeview.

Karina & Caty: 1:30-2am & 4am
Dani & Geri: 1:45am
Caty & Yvette: 1:45am

Thanks for that OxygenIT, it's good to have some video evidence to support us. I really don't understand why they're scared to show two of the girls kissing, what's the big deal? What we really need is someone at Babestation/Cellcast to post on here exactly what the 'rules' are they have to adhere to. If, as has been suggested, the rules governing freeview are the same as Sky, there really is no need for the ultra careful approach they're taking.
And it's not like in those clips the girls were fingering eachother or anything like that, it was just a bit of harmless kissing. I wonder if it was the same producer on all of them?

The only good thing that I can say about last night's PartyGirls show was that each of the 3 girls, Karina, Caty and Alex did spend quite a bit of time reading out the texts that had come in. There's not been much of that on the shows recently from what I've seen.

What I don't understand is that after the FV channel changes the 2-girl sections, previously almost exclusive to Partyland, suddenly exploded across all 4 channels and for a few days boob fondling, nipple tweaking, massaging oil/cream into boobs etc were all shown on FV with only the use of tongues seeming to be banned, which in itself was ridiculous. Then suddenly it was all back-pedalled and only light fingertip contact with 'innocent' body areas being allowed. Why? Somebody must have said it was OK in the first place or it would never have happened.

The one thing that really bugs me about the shows content is that at the beginning of the year the old PartyGirls show was still being broadcast, that was quite liberal in what was being shown to say the least. Now it all seems to have got less risque, surely the same set of rules/guidelines where to be adhered to then, as far as I can recall their was not one complaint about what was being shown and remember this show was being broadcast from 9.00 on Freeview. What has changed in the intervining months for the producers to be so paranoid.

Forgive the long message but I've read through Ofcom's guideline there is absolution NOTHING that outlines different rules specifically for the Freeview platform there is never any mention of difference for platforms only that PIN protected and premium subscription services are able to show more adult content before the watershed. All guidelines apply to any and all platforms so there should be no different broadcasting practice between Sky and Freeview unless the broadcaster specifically chooses to make that the case. A few things from the guideline which suggest BS could show a lot more without fearing the wrath of Ofcom (and this is the only things relative to BS i.e adult & sexual content, language etc)...

Quote:Appropriate scheduling should be judged according to:
- the nature of the content;
- the likely number and age range of children in the audience, taking into account school time, weekends and holidays;
- the start time and finish time of the programme;
- the nature of the channel or station and the particular programme; and
- the likely expectations of the audience for a particular channel or station at a particular time and on a particular day.

Nature of content: adult. Likely number and age range of the audience after 12am likely to be 16+, as it gets to after 1am likely to be closer to 18+. start and finish time within the adult watershed hours. likely expectations of the audience: far higher than what BS provide.

Quote:The watershed only applies to television. The watershed is at 2100 for 15 certificate content and 2200 for 18 certificate content. Material unsuitable for children should not, in general, be shown before 2100 or after 0530.

Broadcasts within the hours that the maximum amount of adult content on UK tv allows.

Quote:- The transition to more adult material must not be unduly abrupt at the watershed or after the time when children are particularly likely to be listening. For television, the strongest material should appear later in the schedule.
- Offensive language must not be broadcast before the watershed, or when children are particularly likely to be listening
- Representations of sexual intercourse must not occur before the watershed, or when children are particularly likely to be listening
- Any discussion on, or portrayal of, sexual behaviour must be editorially justified if included before the watershed.

No fear of this given the broadcasting hours. The Ofcom guidelines show that the girls don't have to be limited to saying 'Cheeky' and basically have no limitations on their language since it falls with post-watershed hours. They could say 's***k all over my tits you dirty f*****g c**t' live on air and as long as it is after 10pm there shouldn't be an issue as it's post watershed. I've seen stronger language on Big Brother than I've ever heard on Babestation or in fact the majority of these channels. The only limitations I can see in their guidlines are zero hardcore content (obvious) and anything before the watershed neither of which apply to BS on the freeview platform or Sky after 9/10pm.

Also looking at Ofcom breaches - the only ones I can see where one of these style channels has been found in breach is when girls have been topless too early (before 9pm), content is a bit strong before 10pm to meet with the typical 18 certificate watershed or due to the advertising practices. I found ZERO times where any of the channels were found in breach for content after the 10pm watershed or specifically linked to Freeview and I've seen some very strong solo and girl on girl content on Bang Babes and Elite and to a lesser extent on the likes of Hotel Voyeur but it falls within the watershed guidelines and from what I can tell they have NEVER been found in breach for the likes of girls kissing, licking/sucking nips/breasts, even simulation masturbation - not once can I find a complaint let alone an 'in breach' within the Ofcom website not even for the odd pussy slip.

The only issue Ofcom had with a Bang Babes girl "rubbing and touching her genital area outside of her underwear in a sexual manner" and "a brief sequence where the presenter placed her hands inside her underwear" was because it was at 21:43 - before the 22:00 18 cert watershed. At no point did it say this was never allowed only that it had issues with it occuring before 10pm. The only issue seems to be pre-watershed rather than content or platform and that is not an issue given the broadcasting hours on Freeview and the later hours on Sky.

As long as BS or any of the other channels keep within the rules of what they can show i.e. nothing hardcore and no penetration among other things - then it's pretty much fair game after 10pm whether it's on Freeview, Sky, Virgin or anything else that broadcasts on UK television.

The only other consideration which I've been able to find is, I think, in the general rules part of the code - I haven't had time to search for its exact location again. This is a general principle that regard should be had to the likely audience of adjacent channels and the effect the content of the subject channel might have on anyone from those channels who might accidentally hop over.

This was the provision that resulted in Partyland's previous 5:00am cover-up. Before the re-ordering it was right next to the children's channels which start up at 5:30am and the 5:00am cover-up provided a safety zone. Now that PL is well away from the kids' channels the cover-up has ceased.

As far as I'm concerned there were never any issues of that sort with the other three channels and even if there were they will now have been removed by the re-ordering of the channel list.


Edit:

In my opinion, this factor is crucial:

(11-10-2009 19:47 )oxygenIT Wrote:  

Quote:Appropriate scheduling should be judged according to:

- the likely expectations of the audience for a particular channel or station at a particular time and on a particular day.

This means that if Ofcom ordered the Freeview restrictions they would be acting in direct contravention of their own Code.

(11-10-2009 19:47 )oxygenIT Wrote:  the girls don't have to be limited to saying 'Cheeky' and basically have no limitations on their language since it falls with post-watershed hours. They could say 's***k all over my tits you dirty f*****g c**t' live on air and as long as it is after 10pm there shouldn't be an issue as it's post watershed.

This is totally incorrect. That kind of language is not allowed to be used on the babe channels.

Take Ofcom's judgement against Babestar for example, where it was said that what Babestar "was transmitting was considered seriously unacceptable in unencrypted form. In particular, the extreme explicitness of the language transmitted was of an adult sex nature and was wholly unsuitable for transmission on a free-to-air service."

oxygenIT is however correct about there being a single broadcasting code, i.e. Ofcom has only one broadcasting code which covers all of broadcasting. There is no distinction between terrestrial and satellite broadcasting.

So there you have it guys , the "we can't do that we are on freeview " is just a load of bull shit , a rule that tamestation as made up for itself, but why ?