Eid viewers deem MBC film with partial nudity 'inappropriate'

DUBAI // MBC, the Arab world's biggest TV network, came under fire yesterday after it broadcast a film some viewers found offensive.

Hundreds of viewers turned to the social-networking site Twitter to discuss the film Into the Wild, with some calling for a boycott of MBC over the broadcast.

But others defended the broadcaster, saying viewers have the right to switch channels if they do not like what they see.

The movie, directed by Sean Penn, was broadcast on Monday evening on MBC Max.

Some viewers said the film contained scenes of partial nudity, which they deemed inappropriate for broadcast during the Eid holidays.

The movie is rated "R" or "restricted" in the US, due to bad language and nudity.

MBC declined to comment on the matter, or specify how much of the film, if any, had been censored.

MBC is owned by Saudi Arabian investors and based in Dubai.

There were more than 500 messages appended "#stop2mbc" on Twitter, many of which called for a boycott of the network.

"To all those who claim the channel is free to broadcast what it wants, I say it is a Muslim, Saudi channel, and religion and society do not tolerate what happened. It is the channel's duty to respect its viewers," wrote Twitter user @lina_alsabti of Riyadh, in Arabic.

But some used the same hashtag to defend MBC.

"There is MBC and there is the remote control," tweeted @AliAl_Othman, also of Riyadh.

bflanagan@thenational.ae