Context, Character and Tone
How, who, when and where offensive language is used plays an important part in the reaction of audiences to its use.
Even if strong language is used after the watershed, audiences may feel it is inappropriate if it appears to be out of context eg. offensive language in charity appeals such as Comic Relief or Children in Need or in content which may appeal to younger audiences or in news items.
Characters, whether presenters, performers, contributors or fictional portrayals also contribute to the acceptability or otherwise of offensive terms. Audiences have expectations of individuals who are featured in BBC output and this can affect how they react to strong language. Audiences are more likely to be offended if even mildly offensive language is used by presenters of factual and news programmes and by presenters with appeal to a younger audience.
Likewise, audiences have expectations of some actors and fictional characters. Presentation information, listings and billings are all helpful in signalling a change of role or indicating that the content may be stronger than the audience would normally expect.
Audiences also have varying expectations of the different BBC channels and stations. In general terms, viewers are less tolerant of bad language on BBC1 as it appeals to a broader audience. Even on radio, where there is no watershed, editorial teams should be conscious that certain slots are associated with particular types of content and appropriate scheduling is important.
Strong language delivered or used aggressively will invariably make a more negative impact than the same language used in a humorous or non-aggressive way. Younger audiences, in particular, react badly to shouting and even mildly offensive words can be aggravated by insensitive delivery.