Adjudication No. 479 (February 1991) [1991] APC 14

ADJUDICATION No. 479 (February 1991)

The Press Council has dismissed a complaint brought by Mr J D Purvey over four-letter expletives published in an interview with actor Bryan Brown in the Arts Section of the Weekend Australian of 4 August.

Mr Purvey, a lawyer, found the use of the word "fuck" utterly offensive and argued that the overwhelming majority of readers would also find the use of the word objectionable. He asked the paper's editor for an apology for the use of "vile obscene language". News Ltd responded at some length to Mr Purvey's objections, saying in essence that the use of expletives had gained wide acceptance and such profanities were no longer confined to the factory floor or dockside. It supported its argument with a Telegraph-Mirror article quoting a university language expert as saying that four-letter profanities were now widely used by both men and women.

In the specific use of the word in the Brown interview, News Ltd argued that the use of the word was appropriate in its context and served to develop the famous actor's character.

The Council believes, in this case, that the use of the word in full was justified. It does not breach the Council's principle that the paper showed such a gross lapse of taste as to bring press freedom into disrepute.