Nine cleared as watchdog finds MAFS handled domestic violence issues ‘with care’
Paul Antoine punched a wall during an argument with his MAFS wife.
Nine and its top-rating program Married At First Sight (MAFS) have been cleared by the media watchdog over its treatment and presentation of domestic violence, following dozens of viewer complaints.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) received “approximately 50” complaints throughout the most recent season of MAFS, and investigated two – one related to a participant punching a wall, and another in which a man appeared to try to control what his partner said.
While the watchdog acknowledged that “domestic violence and other abusive behaviours, including coercive control, are issues of significant and serious concern in Australia”, its powers lie in assessing whether a program was appropriately classified.
The episode with the wall-punching incident carried the M classification. The episode that viewers felt depicted coercive control was rated PG. ACMA found these classifications were appropriate, and that Nine did not breach the Commercial Television Code of Practice.
