Soap opera storylines could become subject to ethical debate before transmission

MORE than one million Irish viewers couldn’t take their eyes of this scene last week when Coronation Street serial killer Richard Hillman threatened to make his wife Gail Tilsley the next victim.

But soap opera storylines should be subject to ethical debate before transmission, parent and health representatives warned yesterday.

The National Congress of Catholic Secondary Schools (NCCSS) and the Rape Crisis Network (RCN) have questioned the inclusion of sexual abuse, gay relationships, murder scenes and abortion and drug abuse issues in programmes shown before the 9pm watershed.

RCN spokeswoman Ingrid Wallace said some so-called family viewing was highly questionable.

“Things can get slipped into soap operas because the general perception is they are for family viewing. We need to pose the question, particularly in terms of the watershed, are programme-makers behaving in a responsible fashion?”

Parents and teachers are also concerned about the wisdom of allowing young children watch the ongoing Coronation Street storyline in which the actor Hillman, played by actor Brian Capron, carries out a series of violent murders. Last year the soap featured the violent rape of character Toyah Battersby.

The RCN said while that rape scene had been handled sensitively, Eastenders tended to over-sensationalise sexual abuse topics.

“Take Eastenders and the abuse of Cat Slater by her uncle. My question is - should this type of issue be dealt with so early in the evening?” Ms Wallace said.

NCCSS spokeswoman Barbara Johnston said they had concerns about plans to introduce a resource pack based on the TnaG soap-opera, Ros na Rún to transition year students. The controversial Irish soap has featured a groundbreaking gay marriage, a gay love triangle, murder, abortion and rape.

“Legally, parents are entitled to have a say in the introduction of any new content to the school curriculum, which means we should be allowed an input into the Ros na Rún storylines. We have written to the Department of Education asking for a discussion on the introduction of Ros na Rún to the curriculum.”

In Britain health specialists have written this week in the British Medical Journal questioning programme makers treatment of health issues.

A report found that the death of character Alma from cervical cancer had put a massive strain on local laboratories.

Studies showed an excess of 14,000 cervical smear tests were performed as a result of the storyline (a 21% increase on the previous year), although only 2000 of them were in women whose test was overdue or who had no previous smear test.