A new code of practice is being developed to police bad taste and indecency in radio and television broadcasting.
The proposed Code of Programme Standards being developed by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) may include a list of prohibited swear words, as well as new "watershed" times for programmes containing sexually explicit material.
Submissions are being sought on the proposed code, a draft of which is due to be published early next year following market research on public attitudes to indecency and bad language on radio and television. The completed code is due to be operational around autumn 2006, the BCI said yesterday.
Speaking at the publication of a consultation document on the initiative, BCI chairman Conor Maguire said adherence to the code would be linked to the issuing of broadcast licences.
However, he downplayed the need for specific penalties, noting that there was "very much a culture of compliance in relation to regulation in this jurisdiction".
Today FM chief executive Willie O'Reilly said he would favour a system of fines for breaches of the code rather than the threat of licence-withdrawal, as the latter could not be made against RTÉ.
He added he would be concerned about the introduction of new watershed times for certain material, noting "you can't discuss adult themes during the day with a watershed".
Peter Feeney, RTÉ's head of public affairs policy, also expressed doubt at the efficacy of watersheds, suggesting greater use could be made of pre-broadcast information announcements warning of explicit material. He added if there were breaches, he favoured the "moral sanction" of a negative ruling from the Broadcasting Complaints Commission.
"Fining RTÉ is a bit like fining the taxpayer," Mr Feeney added.
The code, which is provided for under Section 19 of the Broadcasting Act, 2001, will apply to all radio and television broadcasters licensed in the State, thereby replacing a diversity of mainly voluntary guidelines.
Submissions on the consultation document, which can be viewed at www.bci.ie, should be made by October 28th.
