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THE BBC AND JERRY SPRINGER - THE OPERA

EDM (Early Day Motion) 488: tabled on 12 January 2005

Tabled in the 2004-05 session.

This motion has been signed by 5 Members. It has not yet had any amendments submitted. The tabling Member has subsequently withdrawn this motion.

As this motion is using historical data, we may not have the record of the original ordering, in which case signatories are listed alphabetically.

This motion has subsequently been withdrawn by the tabling Member.

Motion text

That this House regards with dismay the decision by the BBC to broadcast Jerry Springer - The Opera on BBC2, causing widespread offence to Christians and those of other faiths by its mocking portrayal of Jesus Christ, Holy Communion and some of the central tenets of the Christian faith; condemns the show's juvenile and offensive use of repeated profanity in an attempt at humour; further notes that it is particularly serious that the show should have been transmitted by the publicly-funded national broadcaster and questions whether it places the Corporation in breach of its Charter; laments the arrogant dismissal of Christian concerns by the content of programmes aired by the BBC; and calls on the government publicly to rebuke the corporation for its attack on the religion adhered to by over 70 per cent. of the UK population and for its lowest common denominator approach to ethics in its attempts to chase ratings.