At the end of 2018, after receiving two complaints of parents concerned about the dissemination of information, which could have supposedly negatively affected the development of minors in the indicated by them three episodes of the animated series “The Simpsons”, the RTCL launched an investigation in accordance with the Law on the Provision of Information to the Public.
The RTCL conducted the monitoring of the three episodes of the series, and according to the established procedure, contacted the broadcaster UAB All Media Lithuania and required to provide their arguments on the disseminated information in the episodes under investigation. In addition, the RTCL addressed the Inspector of Journalist Ethics to evaluate the content of the three episodes of “The Simpsons”. The RTCL also ordered the market research company TNS LT, UAB to carry out a survey on the viewing ratings of the three episodes, where the disseminated information could have supposedly negatively affected minors.
Having assessed the arguments and commitment of the broadcaster to take into account the observations made by the RTCL on the disseminated information, and to assess the content of this series with more responsibility in the future, as well as taking into account low viewing ratings of the series among minors, the RTCL decided not to apply sanctions on the broadcaster and did not propose to change the broadcasting time and index of the investigated series.