The Simpsons Removed From Venezuelan TV

A television station in Venezuela removed the popular animated cartoon show, 'The Simpsons', saying it was too inappropriate for young viewers.

Station spokeswoman Elba Guillen said Monday that the decision to take off the daily 11 a.m. time slot came after the National Telecommunications Commission received complaints from some viewers.

"It had to be taken off," Elba said. "They consider it to be a series that isn't appropriate for that time because it isn't appropriate for children."

The regulatory agency didn't say which elements of the show were said to be offensive, but said showing the series at that early hour could violate national regulations to prevent "messages that go against the whole education of boys, girls and adolescents."

Guillen said it is up to Televen's management whether "The Simpsons" may be shown at a later time of day.

"Baywatch," which shows bikini covered woman and and handsome muscle men working as lifeguards on the Hawaiian coast, has been playing in the Simpsons slot since Friday.

"The station has not received any complaints about that show," General Manager German Perez Nahim told the Venezuelan newspaper, Ultimas Noticias, in its Friday editions. Nahim was not in the office Monday, and could not be reached for any further comments.

"We are hoping it will continue to have a good rating, because 'The Simpsons' worked very well - so much so that it had the highest levels of viewers for that morning timetable in the history of the channel," Perez said.