1. 15 th September Lesson 4 - To consider the moral and ethical issues raised by the broadcasting of popular soap operas before the 9pm watershed. To plan a debate around the motion: ‘This House believes that soap operas should not present material that might offend their audience’

2. The watershed is the term used to decide a time in television schedules which separates the time it is acceptable to show television programmes which have ‘adult content' from the time when it is not.

4. A Christian perspective Mary Whitehouse was a devout Christian who campaigned against immorality and indecency on television. She was mocked at the time and is still remembered with slight contempt by many people. Others are thankful that she took a stand against ‘anything goes’ viewing and feel that her fears have been realised.

5. Mary Whitehouse had some success…she found the Clean Up campaign which, in the early nineties, was renamed mediawatch, a pressure group which seeks to highlight harmful television. This they take to include violence, bad language, homosexuality and blasphemy. Their pressure brought about the British Broadcasting Standards.

6. But why did she bother?

8. Some key questions – ‘offensive material’: Who defines what qualifies as ‘offensive’? Should religions be protected from offensive storylines. Should a Christian care what other people look at on television? Doe a religious believer have the right to ‘campaign’ against either immorality on tv or on how their religion is portrayed? Who should decide what is acceptable to air? Could saying crap be as bad as saying sh**; what makes a word offensive? Do we need a watershed; or should a parent decide what their children can see? Some people have suggested Eastenders sets out to offend to increase its viewing figures. Is that acceptable?

10. ‘This House believes that Soap Operas should not present material that might offend their audience’ Agree with statement (prop) Disagree with statement (opp)