SA: SABC fined for airing Cassper concert

The complaint against the SABC was filed by a complainant who said the TV station had failed to warn audiences about the age restriction of the 2015 #FillUpTheDome concert, which was aired on SABC 1 in November last year.

The BCCSA tribunal then ruled that the public broadcaster failed to edit out the profane language used by Cassper Nyovest during the concert.

“The tribunal is thus compelled to state that the respondent failed to exercise the necessary precaution prior to the broadcast of #FillUpTheDome concert and thus contravened the provisions of the Broadcasting Code of Conduct,” the BCCSA said.

SABC1 said the concert was aired as a way to celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurialism among young people.

“Our producers were so passionate about showing the success of this young musician to an extent that some regulatory mandates were bypassed,” SABC 1 said.

“We agree with the complainant that the audience should have been warned about the content of the broadcast in question.

“We sincerely apologise to the complainant for any inconvenience caused and we are doing all that we can to make sure that we minimise these kinds of incidents on our platforms.”

The complaint against SABC 1 comes eight months after the channel had to pay a R10 000 fine for airing the 2017 Metro FM Music Awards, which contained profane language from artist during their acceptance speeches and performances.

“It is important to note the vital distinction between the two matters in that the current broadcast was not live but rather a pre-recorded DVD; thus it is safe to assume that the level of precautionary measures hereof would have been more controllable in comparison to the latter,” the BCCSA said.

“The tribunal finds it difficult to ignore that within the eight months of the receipt of such an adverse adjudication, SABC 1 broadcasted #FillUpTheDome outside the watershed period and still omitted to give the viewers cautionary warning.”

“The respondent was given the opportunity to further submit mitigating arguments. However, given the fact that this is a repeated contravention of the Broadcasting Code, the tribunal came to the conclusion to impose a R20 000 fine.”

The SABC’s BCCSA-prescribed watershed period is daily between 8pm and 5am, the period when children are not likely to be watching TV.