Ofcom fines for porn trailers

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Ofcom, the UK media and telecoms regulator, has imposed a £50,000 fine on Digital Television Production for broadcasting promotional material for its "ExplicitXXX" pornography channel on free-to-air television before the 9pm watershed.

The watchdog decided the excerpts and trailers for the subscription channel breached its programme codes. The regulator, imposing its first fine for breaches of the codes, said Digital Television was "excessively complacent, unfocused and insufficiently protective of the interests of children".

Ofcom was alerted about the broadcast by a rival to Digital Television. The television company, which blamed a technical error, told the regulator's compliance committee that a big fine would undermine the loss-making channel.