Reuters article mentions Pete

["L. Bird" <pkeets@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030124/tv_nm/paedophile_1

BBC courts controversy with paedophile cartoon
Fri Jan 24, 1:15 PM ET  Add Entertainment - Reuters/Variety TV to My Yahoo!


By Michelle Green

LONDON (Reuters) - The BBC courted controversy on Friday when announcing 
that its new digital television channel would screen a cartoon series 
featuring a paedophile.

A character called Chat Room Perv will appear on BBC3's new satirical show 
"Monkey Dust," raising eyebrows at a time when internet paedophilia is 
making headlines.

The new show's character regularly surfs the Internet in search of young 
victims before luring them to meet him.

A BBC spokeswoman said the show was intended to be a "darkly satirical" look 
at real life.

"Monkey Dust is trying to get over that the Internet is not policed and that 
children can get a false impression of who they are talking to," she added.

But an unnamed BBC source told the Sun newspaper: "We are expecting 
complaints to come flooding in."

It is the timing of "Monkey Dust" -- made more than a year ago when internet 
stalkers were not so much in the public eye -- that could prove difficult 
for the BBC.

Earlier this month, Pete Townshend (news) of rock band "The Who" admitted he 
had used the internet to look at child porn, although he said it was for 
research purposes.

Thousands more Britons face possible arrest as part of a nationwide police 
investigation into internet child porn, known as Operation Ore.

"Monkey Dust" is produced by Talkback, the company that produced the equally 
controversial "Brass Eye" for Channel 4.

The programme, a spoof documentary about paedophiles, provoked a flood of 
complaints when broadcast 18 months ago.

Channel 4 was forced by the television watchdog to transmit an apology for 
showing the programme without sufficient warning in advance for viewers.

"Monkey Dust" will be broadcast on BBC3, the corporation's new digital 
channel aimed at young adults, which will be launched on February 9.

A spokesman said the six episodes were being checked to ensure that no 
changes needed to be made. Reuters/Variety






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