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Poll says 40% favour ban on TV swearing

A speech bubble featuring non-specific swearing
  • Posted at 12:37pm
  • 17 November 2008
  • by PaulJones-RT
  • 4 comments

Nearly 40% of viewers polled in a recent YouGov survey for The Sunday Times want to see a complete ban on swearing on TV.

And while nearly half of those who took part believe there's a place for some swearing on our screens, 30% think the F-word should be cut out completely and 55% think the C-word is utterly unacceptable. On the other hand, 40% also feel that the BBC should reflect the language we hear in our day-to-day lives.

In May this year, we conducted a survey for Radio Times magazine, in which 69% of readers said there was too much swearing on TV. And we'd be interested to know if there's a difference between the views of our online contingent and readers of the magazine.

So what do you think? Is a total ban the right way to go? Is there a place for some swearwords, sometimes? Is realism key in certain types of programmes? Or can we still believe in a gritty drama without strong language? Post a comment below and let us know what you think.

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Comments

  • Posted on 19 November 2008
  • at 10:04am
  • by MazY

I'm not that surprised by the results. Those who were against swearing on television are more likely to say so, in the hope that it will be changed. Those who don't mind it have no need to write in as they already ahve what they need. I also suspect that the age-group who 'reads' the Radio Times to the degree where they even notice a survey, let alone respond to it, are of an age-group more inclined to dislike swearing on television.

Now enter the same survey in a magazine that has a younger readership and you'll see an entirely different result, I'm sure. Surveys are great, as long as you're prepared to see them for what they are - skewed in all but the best of cases.

  • Posted on 17 November 2008
  • at 10:57pm
  • by Marianne

I supply teach in a number of schools and the f-word is no longer considered abnormal by a large number of children even pre-teenager! It has been downgraded to a slang adjective added to any conversation (they don't even realise they are saying it?)and is simply plain boring to listen to. The fact that 'celebrities' use it freely on tv does not help! It was invented as an expletive - ie if you hit your thumb with a hammer or drop a pile of plates etc, fair enough - but please, stop using it as a lazy mans adjective! In schools where it is banned and sanctions given if heard, the attitude of the students in notably far more polite - to each other, let alone the teachers.

  • Posted on 17 November 2008
  • at 8:42pm
  • by Geraint

I don't believe that children should be subjected to foul laungage...but then thats what the watershed is for and it would be unresponsible for parents to be allow children to mindlessly surf the television after 9. Removing swearing from the tele would be breaching the basic freedom of speech rights. Not to mention the damage to the gritty realism of classic films like Pulp Fiction, Goodfellas, Scarface etc. if the F-word was replaced with blimey, crikey, goodness etc.

  • Posted on 17 November 2008
  • at 2:45pm
  • by Jo

PLEASE. I support the restriction of swearing, violence and nudity before the watershed but we're adults with (i hope) the ability to regulate our own viewing. If you have a problem with what's on, turn off the box and read a book for gods sake. And if it's your kids you are worried about then you can always take the T.V out of their room if you can't trust them to turn it off after 9pm.

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