We are starting to make a difference- the blasphemous BBC Jerry Springer The Opera programme

A surge of Complainants are being noticed.

With its 8,283 swear words (it has officially the highest swear-word count of any show, though chorus members are counted individually and account for much of that total) and characters who include a diaper fetishist, a she-male and an f-word fuelled fight between God, Jesus and Satan, the prospect of the show being broadcast complete on BBC 2 has outraged hundreds of viewers. Hundreds may not sound like many, but the most-complained about program in 2004 was an episode of “Big Brother” which attracted 243 complaints and was considered a major controversy. The industry regulator Ofcom has already received 418 complaints about Springer, and the BBC has also had complaints though it won’t say how many.

We can Make a difference here! According to my web page referrals log I get more visitiors in a day than have complained so far. So, please if you havent already please do the following to help stop the airing of this blapsphemous programme

-Let other people know via email, your blog or just talking to them (!)

-Email the bbc on info@bbc.co.uk

-Telephone them on 08700 100222

-Call into radio chat shows to complain

-Perhaps send a message to OFCOM although they have received so many complaints that they have stated the following

Jerry Springer – The Opera

If you wish to contact Ofcom about this programme, which is scheduled to be shown on 8 January, please be aware that Ofcom was established by Parliament as a post-transmission regulator. We therefore do not preview programmes prior to their broadcast and our powers relate to programmes only after they have been shown.

Before transmission, broadcasters must ensure that everything they show complies with our Codes available atwww.ofcom.org.uk/codes_guidelines/broadcasting/tv/programmes/programme_code/.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about the programme prior to transmission, please contact the BBC at – www.bbc.co.uk/info/contactus/

Thank you for contacting Ofcom.

I have sent the following message to Ofcom

Your web page says not to contact you, but goes onto say that TV stations “must” adhere to the code. In this case the BBC has by its own admission stated that this programme may be considered blasphemous and that it depicts hell as a TV show. I fail to see how this cannot be perceived to be in breach of the code section 7.1 which prohibits “any abusive treatment of the religious views and beliefs of those belonging to a particular religion or religious denomination”. As a psychiatrist I am particularly concerned at the present time about the effects that watching this programme might have on someone with a belief in the real existence of hell who is currently greiving.

In view of the recent disaster jokes about the afterlife are even more inapprorpriate.

I therefore believe the BBC will be in breach of section 1.11 which states “Programmes not used immediately should be checked before transmission to ensure that any content is not rendered tasteless or offensive by intervening events, such as death, injury or other misfortune. ”

I am asking for your advice about whether any legal rights exist for an individual to enforce the code prior to transmission as in common with friends the BBC have declined to answer my emails are not answering the phone.

I have also written again to the BBC as they havent even sent me the stock answer to my email they have been sending others.

I have previously written to you and attempted to call, but there is

no answer from either. In view of this I visited the OFCOM webstite

which stated that you must adhere to their code of practice prior to

transmission. In this case the BBC has by its own admission stated

that this programme may be considered blasphemous and that it depicts

hell as a TV show. I fail to see how this cannot be perceived to be

in breach of the code section 7.1 which prohibits “any abusive

treatment of the religious views and beliefs of those belonging to a

particular religion or religious denomination”. As a psychiatrist I

am particularly concerned at the present time about the effects that

watching this programme might have on someone with a belief in the

real existence of hell who is currently greiving.

In view of the recent disaster jokes about the afterlife are even more

inapprorpriate.

I therefore believe the BBC will be in breach of section 1.11 which

states “Programmes not used immediately should be checked before

transmission to ensure that any content is not rendered tasteless or

offensive by intervening events, such as death, injury or other

misfortune. ”

I am exploring whether any legal rights exist for an individual to

enforce the code prior to transmission as in common with friends the

BBC have declined to answer my emails are not answering the phone.

A direct quote from the BBC website follows-

“Act Two goes from the sublime to the ridiculous as Jerry, in a

delirious dream, is taken down to Hell, which he really doesn’t want

to do as it would be a sideways step in his career. This is a great

excuse for some stage pyrotechnics. In Hell he is made to present a

show where his guests are Satan, Jesus, Adam & Eve, Mary and God. This

is where the show has come in for some criticism for blasphemy. Indeed

the Jerry Springer Show declined to invest in the opera because they

objected to its language, and sexual and religious content.

Fortunately Allan McKeown stepped in to become the show’s co-producer

because he especially liked all these things about it.”