Committee to set strict guidelines for TV jokes

A committee will be formed to set down strict guidelines on “jokes and entertainment” on local television programs, after earlier warnings to tone it down have apparently gone unheeded.

The National Audiovisual Media Council, a consultative body whose decisions are not binding, announced the move after a meeting on Friday. Council President Abdel-Hadi Mahfouz told reporters after the meeting that members Ibrahim Awad, Ghaleb Qadil, Jamal Fakhoury and Paul Khalifeh were nominated for membership in the new committee.

“Following the publishing of the council’s decisions in the Official Gazette and discussing it in different media institutions, the national media council will take necessary measures against any media institution violating stipulated criteria,” Mahfouz added.

The council convened in January to deal with rising complaints about supposedly risqué material on local comedy shows, which included jokes about clergymen that some people found offensive. At the time, OTV program “LOL” was singled out for blame, but the latest meeting failed to name any offensive programs or stations.

Mahfouz said the step was needed despite a “slight” improvement in the performance of media outlets. Nonetheless, he said that “many complaints are reaching the council about … entertainment and joke programs,” which necessitated the latest move.