United Kingdom

[GB] Eros TV is Banned from the UK

IRIS 1999-1:1/24

David Goldberg

deeJgee Research/Consultancy

On 30 December 1998, the order (laid before Parliament on 9 December 1998) proscribing "Eros TV" in the UK came into force. The order, made under Section 177 of the Broadcasting Act, 1990, was made because the channel was judged to have regularly breached the first part of Article 22 of the EC Broadcasting Directive. This makes it unlawful to transmit programmes which "might seriously impair the physical, mental or moral development of minors." The Secretary of State said that "We are determined to protect children from satellite pornography and my message to pornographers is clear; we will not tolerate material such as this on our television sets, and the Government will not hesitate to take this action again in future". Including this latest one, there are now six proscription orders in force against pornographic satellite TV channels (the others involve Red Hot Television, TV Erotica, Rendez-Vous Television, Satisfaction Club TV and Eurotica Rendez-Vous ( see IRIS 1998-9: 16)).