A regional publisher’s local TV outlet has been rapped by the broadcasting regulator after a journalist called her fellow presenter a “c***” on screen.
Ofcom has upheld a complaint against Archant-owned Mustard TV after the c-word was broadcast due to an editing mix-up.
It had been uttered by Helen McDermott towards her co-host, the former Norwich City and Leicester City footballer Darren Eadie, pictured left, during the recording of a link.
The segment had never been intended to air and Helen, a former Anglia Television newsreader, publicly apologised on the channel for the language used in the take.
The clip, which was removed from any repeat showing on the channel or online by Archant, can still be seen on YouTube.
In it, Helen said: “This is what happened when this c*** went to Happisburgh beach to look at some fossils or something.”
Ofcom’s report states: “The licensee said that the broadcast was “entirely unacceptable” and it sincerely regretted the incident. It explained that the programme segment in question was pre-recorded and this version, containing inappropriate language used in jest, was included in the final edited programme in error.
“The licensee said that the presenter broadcast an apology the following evening and that the inappropriate language was removed immediately from any repeat broadcast of the programme and the version available online.
“It added that disciplinary action had been taken against the staff concerned and compliance procedures tightened to ensure the circumstances which resulted in this incident would not happen again.”
The complaint was upheld, and the full adjudication can be read here.
An Archant spokesman said: “Mustard TV has nothing further to add to its contribution made in the Ofcom adjudication.”
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Probably just a work experience student pressing the wrong button. So that’s alright then.
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I don’t know what all the fuss is about, no one will have seen it if it was on Mustard TV apart from archants own staff and we are TOLD to watch it
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an amateur outfit “broadcasting” amateur content, on a shoestring….. how long can this go on!
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The sweary fairy strikes again!
I hope they apologised to their viewer?
Be interesting to know if the technician who put this out was reprimanded?
Or the ‘head of content’ who is responsible for all the company’s output presumably, or maybe that jobs just a title with no clout?
Or the group editor?
Or the md/ head of mustard TV itself?
It seems only the ex newsreader is carrying the can with the editor keeping his head down and only emerging to be quoted in more upbeat news stories, strange that
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To be honest who cares ? Mustard TV is a shambles of a vanity project with amateur presenters,wobbly green screen sets,no advertisers ,weak content,high costs and hardly any viewers.
It’s incredible why Archant think they can produce programming output that people actually want to watch while there are two we’ll run local TV stations in the area already.
They should stick to what they’re good at but at present its hard to see what that might be.
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