In a move that is both bone-headed on the network's part and slightly uptight on the viewers' part, MTV has been fined £255,000 ($484,500 U.S.) for playing Aphex Twin's timeless video for his 1999 single, "Windowlicker."
Via the Daily Swarm, Viacom-owned MTV Networks Europe was fined the exorbitant sum by UK media watchdog Ofcom, for what they call "widespread and persistent breaches of its broadcasting code across four different channels. The penalties include TMF £80,000 ($152,000), MTV France £35,000 ($66,500), MTV UK £80,000 ($152,000) and MTV Hits £60,000 ($114,000).
Of course, there is a censored version of the promo clip, directed by video innovator Chris Cunningham. And yet, before the 9pm family-viewing watershed MTV chose to broadcast the one with the "highly offensive language and material, which includes such colourful words as "motherfucker, "fuck you and "fuck, each said about 50 times a pop. On top of that racist and homophobic text messages were aired by MTV France in "Belge Chat. Classy.
You can watch the 10-minute-plus clip below and decide for yourself whether the fine is called for. I think the dude's wig alone and all those Aphex faces (see above) call for a post-midnight rule...
Via the Daily Swarm, Viacom-owned MTV Networks Europe was fined the exorbitant sum by UK media watchdog Ofcom, for what they call "widespread and persistent breaches of its broadcasting code across four different channels. The penalties include TMF £80,000 ($152,000), MTV France £35,000 ($66,500), MTV UK £80,000 ($152,000) and MTV Hits £60,000 ($114,000).
Of course, there is a censored version of the promo clip, directed by video innovator Chris Cunningham. And yet, before the 9pm family-viewing watershed MTV chose to broadcast the one with the "highly offensive language and material, which includes such colourful words as "motherfucker, "fuck you and "fuck, each said about 50 times a pop. On top of that racist and homophobic text messages were aired by MTV France in "Belge Chat. Classy.
You can watch the 10-minute-plus clip below and decide for yourself whether the fine is called for. I think the dude's wig alone and all those Aphex faces (see above) call for a post-midnight rule...
