Raunchy episodes breach broadcasting guidelines

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that the Seven Network breached broadcasting rules with three episodes of Home and Away earlier this year, finding the content – featuring pole-dancing and sex talk – was of a ‘sPG’s nature rather then the ‘sG’s classification under which it aired.

Episodes 4358, 4380 and 4381 were investigated after receiving complaints from Melbourne viewers.

Episode 4358 deals with Belle’ss (Jessica Tovey) hasty decision to sleep with Lucas (Rhys Wakefield) whilst she still has feelings for Drew (Bobby Morley). The episode includes a scene depicting the couple in bed after having had sex, discussing what has occurred. Belle is later shown to regret her decision.

The ACMA found that ten scenes, amounting to almost half the episode, are devoted to the storyline of the teenage couple’ss decision to have sex. Half of these involved a direct discussion, in which a female character regretted having sex. However, the ACMA found that the frequency and length of the scenes exceeded the requirement that material in G rated programs be very mild in impact.

The second complaint revolved around two episodes in March when Cam (Ashley Lyons) coerced Martha, played by Jodi Gordon, to take-up pole-dancing at his Rocket Club against her will. She is shown in a crop top and short skirt dancing and swinging around a pole at the front of the stage to an audience of enthusiastic males who whistle and cheer. In another scene she is shown swinging and dancing around the pole in a two piece leotard, but soon stops when she realises some of her friends are in the audience on Peter’ss (Nicholas Bishop) buck’ss night.

Seven defended the depiction arguing that the program was G-rated because it contained no nudity and that pole-pancing was no longer considered erotic but had become standard on dance floors and in ballroom competitions. Seven argued that the scenes were neccessary to depict Martha’ss anxiety and that the point of the story is about Martha being pressured and manipulated into dancing and the rift that her decision creates between herself and her family and friends. The storyline became a central part of the show until Cam was arrested and his club almost burnt down.

The ACMA disagreed and found the pole dancing depicted was sexual behaviour and the content excessive for a G classification, having more than a mild impact on children. It concluded that children watching unsupervised may be disturbed by the sexual exploitation of a woman by a man with whom she is romantically involved.

Seven will amend Home and Away to a default classification of PG as a result of the ACMA findings and has advised the ACMA that all episodes are now classified PG “to better accomodate the program’ss storylines and reflect the increasing age of the program’ss viewing audience”

Material classified PG may contain careful presentations of adult themes but must remain suitable for children to watch with supervision.

The full reports can be downloaded on the ACMA’ss website.