topic Re: Last Week Tonight censorship in What's On

Last Week Tonight censorship

SwitchToVirgin — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 19:05:37 GMT

I notice that Last Week Tonight has been removed from the schedule tonight, presumably because it is critical of the British government. This is shameful censorship.

Last Week with John Oliver was shown on Sunday night but again we are still not getting the episode

wayners — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 19:06:00 GMT

It seems that the new episode was shown on Sunday in the US on the 23rd June but we are still waiting for the new episodes

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

Mark39 — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 19:29:26 GMT

@SwitchToVirgin wrote:

I notice that Last Week Tonight has been removed from the schedule tonight, presumably because it is critical of the British government. This is shameful censorship.

That's a bit of an assumption. Viewer Relations are the people to contact for comment on programming. You can email them via viewerr@sky.uk

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

SwitchToVirgin — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 19:59:45 GMT

I've seen it and it's basically a very critical summary of the last 14 years of Tory government in the UK. I can't think of any other reason it should be pulled at the last minute only in the UK.

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

MarkGoldsmith — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 20:42:40 GMT

@SwitchToVirgin wrote:
I've seen it and it's basically a very critical summary of the last 14 years of Tory government in the UK. I can't think of any other reason it should be pulled at the last minute only in the UK.

That will be due to OFCOM broadcasting regulations with us being close to an election. No type of political content is allowed unless its balanced and unbiased and gives fair coverage to all the other political parties. Therefore an entire long segment tearing apart the recent Tory government would cause the show to have to be pulled from the UK TV schedule. If it was just a fairly short segment it would be cut, or replaced with another segment ( which Last Week Tonight have done previously for segments they knew would be cut from the UK broadcast).

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

nolte — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 22:07:13 GMT

@SwitchToVirgin wrote:
I've seen it and it's basically a very critical summary of the last 14 years of Tory government in the UK. I can't think of any other reason it should be pulled at the last minute only in the UK.

Electoral broadcast law is the law and even with imported content, sky need to follow it.

This is covered with section 6 of the ofcom code/rules covering 'election period' meaning when parliament is dissolved.

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

JonD1492 — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 00:06:37 GMT

I understand why the episode was pulled, but it had better get broadcadt AFTER the Elections have finished!

If Sky dont show this episide at all, I'll be extremely angry!

Let's hope we get a double-bill on Friday 5th July instead, to catch-up.

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

MarkGoldsmith — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 06:45:38 GMT

Well its hardly a continuing drama so it's not like it is a necessity for it to be broadcast prior to future episodes.

At best I could potentially see it just being put in the on-demand catalog after the election but even then it doesn't really matter if the episode is available or not.

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

Timelord2018 — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:50:21 GMT

Previous episodes are available On Demand until 31st December 2025, I doubt they will add this episode though

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

TimmyBGood — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 08:00:19 GMT

@SwitchToVirgin wrote:

This is shameful censorship.

a) There's no absolute protection of 'free speech' in the UK, and certainly not on broadcast media.

b) As noted above, the period before a General Election is covered by particular regulation on broadcasting which all previous Governments, whatever their political slant, have approved.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/132081/Broadcast-Code-Section-6.pdf

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

Timelord2018 — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 10:28:10 GMT

Will be made available On Demand later today

https://deadline.com/2024/06/john-oliver-uk-election-roast-stream-sky-censorship-fears-1235982449/

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

xenon81 — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 11:32:23 GMT

@SwitchToVirgin wrote:
I've seen it and it's basically a very critical summary of the last 14 years of Tory government in the UK. I can't think of any other reason it should be pulled at the last minute only in the UK.

Something containing criticism of a political party (whether they're the governing party, opposition, or any other) without a right of reply can't be shown in the run-up to an election. They're free to show it on linear TV from 5th July onwards.

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

JonD1492 — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 15:19:47 GMT

Well, it seems Sky has NO INTENTION of broadcasting it, but the episode is legitimately available to download/stresm from Sky's on-demand and catch-up service as of today! I've just downloaded it, and it is complete and uncut, but with it being a stream, it's only going to remain available for another three weeks. 😭

Sky really has no excuse to keep this episode from being broadcast after 5th July, so please get it on air before the next episode airs at the end of July.

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

nolte — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 18:05:59 GMT

@JonD1492 wrote:

Sky really has no excuse to keep this episode from being broadcast after 5th July, so please get it on air before the next episode airs at the end of July.

Any one who wants to check it out, will probably have streamed it by now (I watched it last Wednesday evening through sky q) so airing it on 5th July would just be to a very very small audience.

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

Ev71 — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 20:34:30 GMT

Streaming has different OFCOM rules to broadcast TV.

It's available until July 24th on Sky Go. Otherwise it's likely to be broadcast after the election is finalised and more than likely before the next episode is due.

Of course if you don't like those rules, whoever your MP is on Friday is the one you should bring it up with.

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

JonD1492 — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 14:50:10 GMT

Okay, so...

1 - The episode was uploaded and on Sky Catch-Up for about 36 hours, and mislabelled as Season 11, Episode 1 (which it isn't, as it's Episode 16)...

2 - ...However, sadly, it has now been pulled completely, which is insane!

3 - I'm trying to find out from Sky directly when it will be broadcast, as now the Election is over, they have no excuses NOT to broadcast it, and have plenty of time to do so, between now and Monday 22nd July, which is when Season 11, Episode 17 will air in the UK, but so far, no one at Sky has a clue about anything, so they're a dead end. (And yes, I have e-mailed the Viewer Relations team, and am awaiting their reply.)

4 - In response to others, who said "Well its [sic] hardly a continuing drama so it's not like it is a necessity for it to be broadcast prior to future episodes", that may be so, but it's still not right for you to say that - Superuser or not. We understand why it was pulled - due to Ofcom regulations about political programming prior to the Election - but now the Election is over, to simply not show it at all, would smack of utter political censorship from a national broadcaster. Which would actually be worse, than the episode being (rightfully) pulled at the last minute for legit reasons. Just because you don't care if the episode is aired or not, doesn't mean those of us who watch and love the show feel the same. And the fact that people care enough to comment on the Forums about the show not being on, suggest plenty of people DO care about it being not shown!

I will reply once more, once Viewer Relations get back to me, and hopefully we can get the episode to air, before the next one - because for those who have seen it can attest to - it's very, very, VERY funny, and probably one of Oliver's finest takedown's of a political group ever!

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

nolte — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 17:17:14 GMT

@JonD1492 wrote:
Okay, so...

1 - The episode was uploaded and on Sky Catch-Up for about 36 hours, and mislabelled as Season 11, Episode 1 (which it isn't, as it's Episode 16)...

2 - ...However, sadly, it has now been pulled completely, which is insane!

Checking on both my sky go and sky q, ep 16 titled "uk elections" is still available to download

What is your sky system?

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

oj01 — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 19:50:08 GMT

@nolte wrote:
@JonD1492 wrote:
Okay, so...

1 - The episode was uploaded and on Sky Catch-Up for about 36 hours, and mislabelled as Season 11, Episode 1 (which it isn't, as it's Episode 16)...

2 - ...However, sadly, it has now been pulled completely, which is insane!
Checking on both my sky go and sky q, ep 16 titled "uk elections" is still available to download

What is your sky system?

Same here and is available to Download until 18th February 2028 (Sky+HD)

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

JonD1492 — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 16:30:20 GMT

Hi,

Okay, the episode is now reuploaded, but having contacted the Sky Viewer Relations Team, all they would say is:

1 - The episode is (thankfully) back online, and can be accessed there

2 - Despite a very politely worded request, they wouldn't say if/when the episode will be broadcast, and they refused to give me any further information on the matter.

As such, as no episode is scheduled for next Monday 15th either, I think I'm confident in saying that Sky WON'T be broadcasting this episode at all, which is a disgrace, and politically, it's a truly pitiful decision to make on their part, especially now the Election is over-and-done with.

I'm so disappointed in Sky right now!

Re: Last Week Tonight censorship

oj01 — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 18:58:15 GMT

@JonD1492 wrote:
Hi,

Okay, the episode is now reuploaded, but having contacted the Sky Viewer Relations Team, all they would say is:

1 - The episode is (thankfully) back online, and can be accessed there
2 - Despite a very politely worded request, they wouldn't say if/when the episode will be broadcast, and they refused to give me any further information on the matter.

As such, as no episode is scheduled for next Monday 15th either, I think I'm confident in saying that Sky WON'T be broadcasting this episode at all, which is a disgrace, and politically, it's a truly pitiful decision to make on their part, especially now the Election is over-and-done with.

I'm so disappointed in Sky right now!

Am I missing something here? Why does it need to be broadcast when it's available to Download?