Plug pulled on Confessions

The show featured taped confessions of violent crimes

American cable channel Court TV has bowed to public pressure to scrap its controversial Confessions programme.

Confessions, which began on 10 September, featured the videotaped testimonies of real-life murderers and rapists.

It provoked outrage from legal experts, and the families of crime victims who believed the show was exploitative.

When there's a mistake you should admit it quickly and move on

Henry Schleiff, Court TV chairman

Court TV chairman Henry Schleiff announced on Monday that he was cancelling the show because it offended a segment of the cable channel's audience.

"A number of valid concerns and complaints have been raised by a portion of our audience regarding the show," said Shleiff.

"Court TV's goal is always to inform or entertain but certainly never to knowingly offend," he added.

Controversy over Confessions had been raging since August when Court TV announced its new programme.

Confessions had no host, or narrator, just the edited down confessions of men whose crimes included murder, rape and dismemberment.

Sometimes the screen would be split to show images of the crime scene a confessor is describing.

District attorneys and the police provided Court TV with the taped material.

Ratings

Los Angeles City councilman Nate Holden demanded that Court TV cancel the programme, warning that it could spur copycat crimes.

Victims' rights groups such as the National Organisation of Parents of Murdered Children were also among those social groups who protested.

Despite the sensitive nature of Confessions, Court TV's audience rose, with the first programme bringing in a 57% increase in ratings on the same period last year.

Nonetheless, Schleiff said the outcry was threatening to overshadow the rest of Court TV's output, which includes coverage of real-life trials, legal analysis and public debate.

Schleiff said he hoped the decision to cancel Confessions would serve as an example to other businesses.

"Here's an opportunity to act responsibly and to act quickly and to be an example for corporate America," he said.

"When there's a mistake you should admit it quickly and move on," he added.