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EDITORIAL: Dangerous smoke signals  

The complaints made to the broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, about Marco Pierre White's ITV series on British food, in which the chef was seen smoking, appear unlikely to get anywhere. . . .

Yet there is something disturbing about the way in which those who would censor depictions of smoking in the media seem to be getting more of a hearing since the advent of the UK smoking ban last year. Few now disagree with the banning of overt cigarette advertising on billboards and television. But should this prohibition be gradually extended to all depictions of smoking on television or film? Of course not. . . .

As for Ofcom, it should be very wary of mission-creep. The job of the watchdog is to ensure that broadcasters behave in a responsible manner. It is not there to censor the depictions of practices that some in our society happen to dislike.

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