Bang Media have been fined a total of £157k for “serious and repeated” breaches of the Broadcasting Code after the industry regulator found that a series of “sex chat” promotions aired between June and November 2009 contained “unsuitable” material.

The channel specialises in inviting viewers to interact with “Bang Babes” on screen via a premium rate telephone line on the “Tease Me” channels available on both Sky and Freeview.

Ofcom took a firm stance against graphic material broadcast in these sessions however, which included simulated masturbation, oral sex and close ups of genitalia, deeming that the material should have been PIN protected and that some of it was unsuitable for broadcast.

The broadcaster also failed to supply recordings to Ofcom after a request had been issued and was found to have continued transmission of offending material despite having been issued with formal warnings.

These breaches were judged to have stemmed from a “wholly inadequate compliance system” and behaviour described as “manifest recklessness.”

In a statement Ofcom stressed that they treat such cases with the “utmost seriousness” and that “such repeated compliance failures will not be tolerated.”