Complain to Ofcom about Loose Women's discussion of public breastfeeding

[handlemecarefully]

here

What was said, hmc? Sorry if I've missed a thread

Sorry, got it

Good! don't let not seeing the programme put you off complaining. Other Mnetters have explained how the discussion went in a fair amount of detail - so just go on that.

I got a letter back from Ofcom today, did anyone else?

Yes, got one too - quite serious and detailed, but saying they haven't upheld our compaint

you are going to make yourselves look like a bunch of nutters. people can think what the hell they like its not up to you lot just because you are gung ho about breast feeding to start berating the rest of woman kind about their beliefs. you are setting breast feeding issues back by about 20 years. just grow up and accept the fact not everyone feels the same way you do.

Forgoodnessake - er, what's the problem here? What is it exactly that upsets you so much?

No, you're wrong; what's setting breast feeding back about twenty years is people in the national media discussing how disgusting it is, and saying that it shouldn't be allowed in public.

We are all entitled to our opinions, even those of us who won't express them under their usual name, and there is no reason at all why people who were offended by the programme shouldn't complain about it if they so choose.

Well put WWB. Do we now have to defend defending ourselves?!

And since when has looking like a nutter bothered a MNer?

For goodness sake, forgoodnesssake, how on earth can it be setting bf issues back to complain about this?

We're The Lactivists , interesting article.

had my letter back. Seems like standard issue.

Cor, FGS, how very cowardly.

isn't loose woman a talk show? you cannot censor people's views in this way that's what democracy and free speech is all about

however you can request equal airtime from the producers / right to reply programmes to put your case forward

talking to ofcom isn't relevant IMHO

I agree with Mud - you can't complain just because you don't agree. The subject of breastfeeding in public does cause emotive reactions and shouting opponents down won't go far to changing their minds. They're not saying breastfeeding per se should be banned or even discouraged - just doing so where others may be offended. Personally I think discreet public breastfeeding is fine but militancy only entrenches people's opinions, imho.

Of course you can complain 'just' because you don't agree. It's not as if they've taken a blind bit of notice anyway

bfing is first and foremost a children's health issue, not a 'women's rights' issue - why is ok for ITV to broadcast shows which are this cavalier about public health, aimed presumably at women with kids {otherwise why wd this be a topic of interest?} which treat this as if it's just a trivial question of taste, on a par maybe with whether people with untoned abs shd wear hipsters, or shd people be allowed out if their fake tan is too orange...

if you aren't able to bf your baby in public, it really hampers your ability to bf at all - the choice then is either to stay in and go stir crazy or bottle feed.

Replace the topic of the Loose Women's sneering with formula feeding...bet there'd be more complaints then!

I saw this programme and, tbh, the participants came across as rather stupid and vacuous. I don't think you can complain about that, can you?

Carole McGiffin doesn't have any children and seems to spend her life getting drunk, flashing her tts and shgging a rather high number of partners. Hardly someone whose view I take particularly seriously. Colleen Nolan dresses in order to enhance her enormous bazookas, only breastfed one of her 3 children for 5 weeks, so clearly wasn't going to be an advocate for breastfeeding in any shape or form. The young Corrie actress showed the most sense, bearing in mind that she doesn't have any children either, but clearly isn't as world-weary and cynical as CM and Fiona Phillips was just totally wishy-washy. I don't think they did themselves any favours.

You can't really complain that a bunch of not very bright women, with little or no experience of the subject matter, came up with adverse opinions of something you feel strongly about.

Excellent point CarolinaMoon. If this were just about lifestyle, then it wouldn't matter, but it's about a lot more than that. I find ignorant people far, far more offensive than a mother doing what is best for her child.

you can certainly complain about them not putting forward a balanced debate though.

its a bloody CHAT SHOW - you cannot complain because you don'l like what was said - it is called FREE SPEECH and is a basic tenent of living in a democracy - well you can complain but you will look like a complete idiot

you can howerver request equal airtime for pro-breastfeeding

has the whole world gone bananas

actually we can do what we like

ha - yes you can

Of course you can complain, but just don't expect to get much of a result. This programme isn't advertised as a high-brow, well-informed, intellectual discussion programme. It's called Loose Women (meaning the odd loose brain cell??) and the panel merely give their own views. As they discuss a number of subjects on each programme, in order to have a balanced discussion on each, they would have to canvas each panel member in advance and only employ those whose views would allow such a balanced discussion.