'Bad language' at Live 8 concerts trigger complaints to the BBC

July 4, 2005

The BBC, who broadcast the Live 8 event throughout Saturday and Sunday, has received hundreds of complaints regarding "swearing outbursts". Madonna and Snoop Dogg are among those who used "bad language" before the 9:00PM watershed.

Following last year's Super Bowl, where U.S. broadcasting networks were criticised for not forecasting Janet Jackson's bodily exposure, the BBC pledged to incorporate a time delay of several seconds in certain live broadcasts in order to provide a level of censorship to potentially violent/unsuitable scenes.

The Live 8 event, however, was broadcast live.

The BBC, said a spokesperson, had received "just under" 400 complaints regarding the use of language in its coverage.

"Millions of people enjoyed our 12 hours of live broadcasting. We are sorry if any offence was caused.", she added.

The stars accused of swearing before the watershed include Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Johnny Borrell (Razorlight) and Billie-Joe Armstrong (Green Day).

Previous complaints received by the BBC range from 240 complaints made as a result of the new 3D weather map, to 47,000 in the build up to the broadcast of "Jerry Springer - The Opera".