Italian Broadcasters Fined For ‘Blasphemy’

The Italian broadcasters RAI and Mediaset have been fined €100,000 for “blasphemy” after airing comments by contestants on the reality shows “Celebrity Survivor” and “Big Brother.” It is the first time such a fine has been imposed.

Italy’s equivalent of Ofcom issued the fines for violating rules “on respect of religious sentiment and protection of minors.” The programmes were the most popular on TV during the autumn season, and the contestants on both shows were kicked off immediately after uttering “strong swear words, directed at God”. The incidents brought complaints from the Vatican.

In another incident in Italy, Roman Catholic politicians and commentators made the most of a small, imaginative protest by a gay rights group, after two Barbie dolls, arm in arm and holding a placard calling for the legalisation of gay marriage, were sneaked into the Christmas crib in the lower house of parliament. They appeared alongside a pair of Kens. The opportunistic religionists were immediately on the outrage bandwagon. One right-wing MP squawked: “Italy’s Christian identity has been insulted.” The reactionary Rome newspaper Tempo carried a huge picture of the dolls on its front page under a headline denouncing the scene as “new provocation by campaigners seeking equal rights for unmarried couples”. Why didn’t they just take the dolls away?

See also: Euthanasia claim sparks religious row in Italy