Big Fat Gypsy Weddings complaints dismissed

From the Guardian

Ofcom has dismissed complaints against Channel 4's controversial "Bigger. Fatter. Gypsier" advertising campaign for Big Fat Gypsy Weddings and also cleared the broadcaster's Gypsy Blood documentary of causing offence.

The media regulator cleared Channel 4's controversial TV campaign for hit show Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, which saw the Advertising Standards Authority receive more than 300 complaints that it was offensive and racist.

Channel 4's campaign – which features the words "Bigger. Fatter. Gypsier" printed over images of Gypsy girls and children – ran across TV and other media including billboards.

Ofcom received a number of complaints about the TV trailer for the programme, but cleared the content of any breach of the broadcasting code.

The media regulator also dismissed 21 complaints from viewers lodged on animal welfare grounds that that the TV show had broadcast scenes of cruelty to animals.

Late last month the Advertising Standards Authority cleared the ad campaign of breaking its code, despite receiving 316 complaints including submissions from the London Gypsy & Traveller Unit.

Gypsy Blood, a hard-hitting 90-minute documentary which aired as part of Channel 4's True Stories documentary strand and attracted more than 500 complaints, provided an at times shocking insight into bare-knuckle fighting in the Irish Traveller and Romany Gypsy communities.

Ofcom received 507 complaints about the show, which aired in January and attracted more than 2 million viewers, about scenes including a fight between children and animal cruelty.

Complainants included the RSPCA and the British Deer Society, who complained about a scene showing a dog trained to chase and kill baby deer.

The media regulator dismissed the complaints, ruling that the content of the documentary did not breach the UK broadcasting code.

Ofcom said the scenes were broadcast after 10pm, were mostly short sequences and while some were offensive they were all justified within the context of the documentary.

The documentary was considered to be factually reporting events, and not gratuitously promoting or endorsing the scenes.

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