Bloody Mary ruled too absurd to offend

The screening of the episode in February lead to protests. Picture / Martin Sykes.

A cartoon which included a menstruating statue of the Virgin Mary did not breach standards of good taste and decency, according to the television standards watchdog.

The episode of South Park provoked angry protests when it screened on C4 in February.

The Broadcasting Standards Authority said it received 35 complaints about the cartoon - the largest number about a single programme since the authority was created in 1989.

But the authority said its decision took into account the time of screening, the Adults Only classification with visual and verbal warnings, and its limited adult target audience.

"The material in the cartoon was of such a farcical, absurd and unrealistic nature that it did not breach standards of good taste and decency in the context in which it was offered."

The episode sparked condemnation by Catholic groups and other organisations and complaints to C4 - a sister channel of TV3 owned by CanWest.

Catholic Church spokeswoman Lindsay Freer said last night that many people from different faiths had campaigned against the screening and would be disappointed with the decision. "If the Bloody Mary episode didn't breach the standards of decency and good taste, then what does?"

The authority said it had acknowledged the degree of offence taken from the episode and that the broadcaster had undertaken not to screen it again.

"Were the authority to uphold the complaint, this would amount to a statement that broadcasters who offer satire, humour and drama may not offend against the religious convictions of others.

"That would be an unreasonable limitation of a broadcaster's right to free speech, which includes the right to satirise religious issues."

After the episode screened CanWest chief operating officer Rick Friesen apologised for any offence.

Last night, he said the authority made the right decision, but "we still offended a lot more people than I'm happy with and we are sorry for that".

But Brendan Malone, a spokesman for Catholic group Family Life International, said the ruling "reeks of incompetence and bigotry against the Christian faith".

The episode was watched by 210,000 people - six times the usual South Park audience.