Sky has issued an apology after an episode of Game of Thrones that was rife with swear words was shown accidentally pre-watershed during a morning slot without PIN protection.
Throughout the eight-season run of the epic fantasy drama, it became known for its complex plot, brilliant performances, incredible visual effects, raunchy scenes, bloodthirsty battles and colourful use of language.
In the UK, there are strict rules in place concerning when certain TV programmes are allowed to air, with media watchdog Ofcom explaining: ‘The watershed begins at 9pm and material unsuitable for children should not, in general, be shown before 9pm or after 5.30am.’
This ‘unsuitable material’ includes swearing, a rule that Sky was recently in breach of.
It was reported that on August 19, an episode of the series aired at 7.35am on Sky Atlantic, with viewers not needing to enter a PIN code – as usual pre-watershed – to watch it.
The episode was said to have ‘contained multiple use of offensive language including “c**t”, “f**k” and “s**t”, which people under 18 would have therefore been able to watch without the safety precaution of a protective PIN code in place, according to Deadline.
The issue was apparently caused by an ‘unseen technical fault’, with measures having since been put in place to avoid the situation from happening again.
According to RXTV, Sky said that a software update led to an ‘excess of data’ being generated, which ‘caused the system to run out of memory prematurely’, resulting in the issue with the lack of PIN protection.
Sky said that it ‘fully accepts strong content should not be broadcast before the watershed without the necessary mandatory PIN protection’.
While issuing an apology ‘to those customers who viewed this content’, the company said: ‘It is never our intention to offend or upset our viewers.’
In May last year, Sky addressed an F-bomb that seeped its way onto air pre-watershed during an episode of Veep.
It was claimed at the time that the blunder occurred due to an ‘extremely rare’ technical error, with Sky blaming a ‘hardware fail leading to a loss of connection’.
Ofcom said in a statement released at the time: ‘Taking into account the action taken by the Licensee to ensure compliance in the future, including the use of additional measures within its broadcast system which we understand should prevent this type of incident from reoccurring, Ofcom’s decision is that this matter is resolved.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted Sky and Ofcom for comment.
Game of Thrones is available to watch on Sky And NOW.
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What is Ofcom and what does it cover?
Ofcom is the regulator for the communications services that we use and rely on each day.
The watchdog makes sure people get the best from their broadband, home phone and mobile services, as well as keeping an eye on TV and radio.
Ofcom deals with most content on television, radio and video-on-demand services, including the BBC. However, if your complaint is about something you saw or heard in a BBC programme, you may need to complain to the BBC first.
Its rules for television and radio programmes are set out in the Broadcasting Code.
The rules in the Broadcasting Code also apply to the BBC iPlayer.
This Broadcasting Code is the rule book that broadcasters have to follow and it covers a number of areas, including; protecting the under-18s, protecting audiences from harmful and/or offensive material and ensuring that news, in whatever form, is reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality.
Audiences can complain to Ofcom if they believe a breach of the Broadcasting Code has been made.
Every time Ofcom receives a complaint from a viewer or listener, they assess it to see if it needs further investigation.
If Ofcom decide to investigate, they will include the case in a list of new investigations, published in the Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin.
An investigation is a formal process which can take some time depending on the complexity of the issues involved.
Ofcom can also launch investigations in the absence of a complaint from a viewer or listener.
