Complaints about cursing halve in five years, with viewers more concerned about
racism and sexism
Swearing on air is no longer offensive to the
British public, the television and radio regulator has concluded, after finding that complaints regarding on-air cursing have halved in five years.
Ofcom research found widespread agreement among the British public that societal norms around offence have shifted in recent years, with audiences particularly forgiving of accidental mild on-air swearing, such as when the ITV political editor, Robert Peston, recently blurted out “oh shit” during a recent Downing Street press conference on the coronavirus.