Bloody television

A Portuguese court has ruled that in future the Portuguese public channel RTP will be permitted to broadcast bullfights only after 10.30 pm and that they should be preceded by a warning that the programme "contains violent scenes". The daily Jornal de Notícias approves: "The decision does credit to Portuguese justice and brings discredit upon RTP's notion of how to carry out its public mandate. Each year RTP receives millions from the state budget so it can provide public television without being subject to the commercial constraints acting on commercial channels. Apparently RTP's understanding of its mission extends to beginning its news programme with a report about the production of a hundred-metre-long cake or ... the broadcasting ... of an event that passes off the humiliation and suffering of an animal as entertainment. It is scandalous that a court decision was needed to remind RTP that such violent and bloody shows can have a negative impact on the education of young people."

» full article (external link, Portuguese)
More from the press review on the subject » Audiovisual Media, » Media policy, » Portugal
All available articles from » Manuel António Pina

» To the complete press review of Friday, June 6, 2008