Offensive language complaint for Tudno FM

Ofcom has received a complaint about offensive language in a song played on Tudno FM in Llandudno.

The community radio station played the song I like It by Cardi B which included one use of the word “niggers”, one use of the word “shit” and a total of five uses of the words “bitch” and “bitches”.

Tudno FM blamed the incident on an “ex-volunteer…who is determined to cause trouble for Tudno FM”.

The station confirmed that the language used in the track was offensive and was not appropriate for broadcast during the day. It said that the track “was not and is not part of Tudno FM’s playlist” and told Ofcom that it had “come to the conclusion that the record was played out without [its] authorisation at a time when there was no presenter in the studio”.

As a result of this incident, the Licensee told Ofcom it had improved the security of its studio by installing CCTV and implementing “limited access passwords and hardware security”. It said that it had started “more stringent vetting” for volunteers and had “made other volunteers aware of the intentions” of the ex-volunteer. It also said it was planning to relocate its studio by the end of January 2019.

Ofcom put the station in breach, saying, “In this case, the four-minute song included seven uses of offensive language broadcast at 14:08 on a Tuesday during the Summer school holidays. We considered this constituted frequent use of offensive language at a time when it was particularly likely that children would be listening.”