ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Radio Station Breached Rules By Playing 'Prolonged Sounds Of Sexual Moaning' In Morning, Says Ofcom

Radio Station Breached Rules By Playing 'Prolonged Sounds Of Sexual Moaning' In Morning, Says Ofcom

Caroline Community Radio in Essex played ‘French Kiss’ by Lil Louis during The Breakfast Show

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

A radio station has breached rules by playing 'prolonged sounds of sexual moaning' early one morning during a breakfast show, Ofcom has said.

Caroline Community Radio in Essex played 'French Kiss' by Lil Louis during The Breakfast Show, which runs between 6am and 10am.

Ofcom said the song - which reached number two in the UK charts in 1989 - contained no lyrics, but featured 'prolonged' sexual noises lasting two minutes and 20 seconds.

While the regulator said the chances of any children listening was 'low', it argued that youngsters were likely to be listening to the radio given the time of day and because it was half term.

PA

The report said: "Ofcom received a complaint about the broadcast of the song French Kiss by L'il Louis at approximately 8.20am.

"The song contained no lyrics but included prolonged sounds of sexual moaning lasting two minutes and 20 seconds.

"Ofcom considered that the material raised issues warranting an investigation.

"We took into account the licensee's representations that given the radio station's target audience, the likelihood of children listening was low.

"However, as this material was broadcast at approximately 8.20am on a weekday during the school term, it was a time when children were particularly likely to be listening to the radio.

"The code particularly refers to the school run and breakfast time as times when children are likely to be listening."

Ofcom decided the song had not been appropriately scheduled, finding the station to have breached Rule 1.3 of the Broadcasting Code - which considers times when children are likely to be listening.

Caroline Community Radio's licensee said it was in the process of transferring its music library from one computer to another, meaning 'some scheduling restrictions' that it had applied to songs 'had not been carried across to the new system'.

It also said it was undertaking a review of its database in order to make sure all song information is correct.

PA

Meanwhile, Station Manager Peter Moore suggested the sound in the song may have actually just been the sound of a woman getting a massage.

He said: "This is what happens when bureaucracy overrules common sense.

"There are no lyrics in the song, just a sound effect of a lady sighing and moaning, maybe due to having a nice back massage.

"But one complaint causes the regulator Ofcom to convene a committee about what constitutes 'sexual moaning'."

He added: "Aside from the lengthy process of justification, the knock-on effect is radio stations then become fearful of using songs that have great merit such as from John Lennon or Bob Dylan in case one offending word sets the sequence off again.

"Conversely, the subject matter of the Rolling Stones track 'Stray Cat Blues' is outrageous but described with sufficient caution to be acceptable. For us, and as Jagger sings, It Ain't No Hanging Matter."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: UK News, Entertainment, News, Music