Audience attitudes towards offensive language on television and radio Prepared for: Ofcom Prepared by: Synovate UK Date: August 2010 reissued © 2010. Synovate Ltd. All rights reserved. The concepts and ideas submitted to you herein are the intellectual property of Synovate. They are strictly of confidential nature and are submitted to you under the understanding that they are to be considered by you in the strictest confidence and that no use shall be made of the said concepts and ideas. Synovate does not, in providing this report, accept or assume responsibility for any other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown or in to whose hands it may come save where expressly agreed by our prior consent in writing. © 2010. Synovate Ltd. 0 Contents Foreword ............................................................................................. 6 1. Executive summary ........................................................................ 8 1.1 Background and objectives ................................................................................... 8 1.2 Overview of approach ............................................................................................ 9 1.3 Summary of key findings ................................................................................... 111 1.3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 11 1.3.2 Principles guiding opinion on all potentially offensive language ...................... 11 1.3.3 Principles guiding opinion on discriminatory language only ............................ 17 2. Introduction ................................................................................. 211 2.1 Background and objectives ............................................................................... 211 2.1.1 The Broadcasting Code ................................................................................. 211 2.1.2 How the Code works in relation to offensive language .................................... 21 2.1.3 How Ofcom regulates offensive language ....................................................... 22 2.1.4 The role for consumer research .................................................................... 244 2.1.5 Research objectives ...................................................................................... 255 2.2 Methodology ...................................................................................................... 277 2.2.1 Rationale for the methodology ....................................................................... 277 2.2.2 Sample structure: Cross section of the UK public ......................................... 288 2.2.3 Sample structure: Gay, lesbian and bisexual, transgender, traveller and disability audiences .................................................................................................. 31 2.2.4 The pre-task, stimulus material and discussion flow ..................................... 344 2.2.5 Selection of offensive language and clips used in the research .................... 366 2.2.6 Descriptions of the clips used in the research ............................................... 366 3. Main findings: Key principles which drive the acceptability of potentially offensive language on television and radio ................... 433 3.1 Introduction to the key principles ....................................................................... 433 © 2010. Synovate Ltd. 1 3.1.1 Personal views and generally accepted standards ....................................... 455 3.2 Principles guiding opinion on all potentially offensive language ........................ 466 3.2.1 Which words were used and how frequently ................................................. 488 3.2.2 Whether children were likely to be watching / listening and the potential impact upon them ................................................................................................... 499 3.2.3 Whether the audience had made an informed choice to watch/listen ........... 555 3.2.4 The intent with which the words were used ................................................... 611 3.2.5 Did the broadcaster act responsibly? ............................................................ 677 3.3 Principles guiding opinion on discriminatory language only .............................. 733 3.3.1 Familiarity and perceptions of social acceptability ......................................... 755 3.3.2 Who the words were directed towards ............................................................ 80 3.3.3 How words could be interpreted / how they were used ................................. 833 4. Main findings: Feedback on specific words ................................ 866 4.1 Strong language ................................................................................................ 877 4.1.1 Pre-watershed ............................................................................................... 899 4.1.2 Post-watershed .............................................................................................. 944 4.2. Potentially discriminatory language .................................................................. 988 4.2.1 Group 1: Well known and seen as socially acceptable (general UK sample)100 4.2.2 Group 2: Less well known and seen as socially acceptable by those who knew them (general UK sample) .......................................................................... 1033 4.2.3 Group 3: Well known and seen as less socially acceptable (general UK sample) ................................................................................................................. 1066 4.2.4 Group 4: Less well known and seen as less socially acceptable by those who knew them (general UK sample) ............................................................................ 112 4.2.5 Group 5: Polarising words (general UK sample) ......................................... 1166 5. Main findings: The watershed, responsibility and freedom of expression .................................................................................... 1255 5.1 The watershed ................................................................................................. 1255 5.2 Responsibility .................................................................................................. 1266 © 2010. Synovate Ltd. 2 5.3 Freedom of expression .................................................................................... 1288 Appendix 1: Feedback on individual clips ................................................................. 13030 Appendix 2: Feedback from minority groups on potentially discriminatory language, i.e. potentially offensive words that might be seen as linked to or aimed at a particular group........................................................................................................................... 1577 Appendix 3: Glossary of terms relating to offensive language .................................... 1633 Appendix 4: Recruitment questionnaire (general UK sample) ...................................... 166 Appendix 5: Definitions and sources for recruitment question design and sample specification for research with gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, traveller and disability audiences ....................................................................................................... 174 Appendix 6: Recruitment questionnaire (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, traveller and disability audiences) .............................................................................................. 176 Appendix 7: Pretask (general UK sample) .................................................................... 190 Appendix 8: Pretask (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, traveller and disability audiences) .................................................................................................................... 212 Appendix 9: Pretask introductory text (person with a learning disability) ...................... 233 Appendix 10: Pretask introductory text (family members of disabled people) .............. 235 Appendix 11: Discussion guide (general UK sample – group discussions) .................. 237 Appendix 12: Discussion guide (general UK sample – in-depth interviews) ................. 260 Appendix 13: Discussion guide (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, traveller and disability audiences) ..................................................................................................... 268 Appendix 14: Discussion guide (person with a learning disability) ............................... 288 Appendix 15: List of words used in word sort exercise (general UK sample) ............... 295 Appendix 16: List of words used in word sort exercise (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, traveller and disability audiences) ........................................................... 297 © 2010. Synovate Ltd. 3 This report is dedicated to Nigel Jackson, Group Head Public Sector and Qualitative Specialists Teams at Synovate. 1966-2009 © 2010. Synovate Ltd. 4 Note: Since the publication of this report on 8th June 2010, it has come to Ofcom’s attention that there was an error in the report in relation to the description of Clip 15 ‘Radio interview with John Lennon’. The report incorrectly stated that the clip contained the word ‘cunt’ within a song by John Lennon featured during the interview. The research comprised of 30 focus groups and in-depth interviews among