Suspension of Russell Brand, Johnthan Ross at the BBC: A defence of the presenters

I'm cautious about writing this post but I feel that government and opposition comments on the Johnathan Ross/Russell Brand/Andrew Sachs debacle should not go unanalysed or unchallenged.

I'm sure you are aware of the background to the issue but there is some explanation here if not.

What Ross and Brand said to Sach's answerphone was clearly rude, crude, upsetting to him and a breach of trust between Brand and Sach's granddaughter. However, I'm not sure it warrants the PM and the leader of the opposition getting involved.

The programme was broadcast after the watershed, with a warning about offensive language beforehand. It's Russell Brand and Johnathan Ross not Gardeners World. Neither presenter could be classed as the most clean-cut of BBC presenters but they are largely popular and their shows are well received.

Now the BBC is obviously publicly funded, so there is no problem with politicians feeling they have a right to comment on it's programming, and for that matter they do. My problem is the nature of their comments.

Jeremy Hunt, Conservative spokesman for Culture, Media and Sport is due to say later on in a speech at the LSE that it is:

"wrong for broadcasters to produce programmes that legitimise negative social behaviour"

Who gets to decide what is 'negative social behaviour'? I'd concur that the invasion of someones privacy probably falls under this category but I'm not sure it's the responsibility of the BBC to draw those lines. The BBC should be representative of the population that funds it and the country is broadcasts to, while not declaring certain actions 'negative social behaviour.'

And just as I'm writing this I've received a news alert stating that Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand have been suspended by the BBC.

Gordon Brown, who has criticised the actions of the pair as 'inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour', is according to the BBC expected to face questions about the matter at PMQs. Because that's what is important to the country apparently. I'll be watching it to see what happens.