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Nine responds over complaints to Married at First Sight

Nine apologises for "any concerns which may have been raised by your viewing of the Program" but says MAFS met industry codes.

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Nine has sent formal responses to viewers who lodged complaints over the recent season of Married at First Sight (which it is required to do under ACMA regulations).

The response is a lengthy two page letter in which Nine apologised for “any concerns which may have been raised by your viewing of the Program” but it defended the content as keeping with its classification (M on weeknights but PG for 7pm Sundays).

It also follows a petition which accused the show of leaving participants subjected to “gaslighting, emotional manipulation, isolation, and countless other TEXTBOOK signs of a controlling and or abusive relationship.” Over 15,000 people have signed the petition.

Those viewers who are not satisfied with Nine’s response are free to escalate the complaint to the Australian Communications and Media Authority. The media watchdog reportedly received more than 50 official complaints.

The letter published by reality gossip blog The Wash indicates:

  • Any views raised by participants ‘are their own and not the views of Nine’
  • The participants’ statements and behaviour ‘are unscripted and captured by the program as part of the social experiment’
  • Psychological support and assistance is available for the participants 24/7
  • Just because a participant is not shown receiving psychological support and assistance, ‘does not indicate that they received no support’
  • Nine ‘adheres strictly to the requirements of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practise 2015’
  • Nine ‘do not consider that the material broadcast is of such a level as to have breached the M (Mature) guidelines’

8 Responses

  2. That has to be the most stupidest signature I’ve ever seen. No wonder their systems went down they are probably waiting for the IT department’s signature

  3. Instead of actually complaining about this show (which won’t get it canned), why don’t these people decide to not watch the show? If another people don’t watch the show, then it’ll get canned and they’ll actually achieve something!

    1. They have a point and they probably liked to watch it at some point in time but are just pointing out the amount of toxicity in this ridiculous show

    2. If a show is not adhering to standards and regulations they need to be called on this. The answer is not “just watch something else.” Nine maintains they have followed, so it will be up to ACMA to umpire.

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