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Radio Nova

Watchdog rejects complaint against radio show that played 'When Harry Met Sally' orgasm scene

The complainant said children often listen to the radio during the day.

A LISTENER’S COMPLAINT against The Colm & Lucy Breakfast Show on Radio Nova, for its playing of the famous orgasm scene from ‘When Harry Met Sally’, has been rejected by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

The complainant said that the programme broadcast “a woman having an orgasm” at around 9am on 1 October this year. He added that children often listen to the radio during the day and said he did not believe it was appropriate content for the time of the broadcast.

In responding to the complaint, Radio Nova said it featured a clip of the famous scene from the 1989 rom-com on a segment called ‘Finish Me Off…funny’ in which the presenters provide a headline with some words missing and invite listeners to fill in the gap with a funny reply.

It said that the audio was used in a “tongue in cheek manner” and stated that there was no explicit reference made on-air.

The BAI’s Executive Complaints Forum rejected the complaint saying “while some children could have been listening, the content was not inappropriate given the type of channel and the likely audience expectation.

“Further, the Forum noted that the segment was lighthearted and was of the view that children were unlikely to understand the meaning of the clip,” it added.

The BAI also released details of five complaints that were rejected by its Compliance Committee. Two of the complaints were regarding Boots’ promotion of the flu vaccine and three were against RTÉ One’s Eco Eye programme.  

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