Commissioner defends EU sex video
EU communication commissioner Margot Wallstrom has defended a European Commission video showing a compilation of sex scenes from European films, saying bad press had led to skyrocketing viewer figures.
"It‘s been a funny few days, with the usual suspects engaging in an unusual line of attack," Ms Wallstrom wrote in her blog.
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"Do they honestly think that EUtube is the first place on the internet that people will search for pornography? At least we didn‘t get slammed for using the wrong language!" she noted on Wednesday (11 July).
A couple tearing off each others' clothes marks the beginning of the 44 second clip which shows 18 different couples having steamy sex, accompanied by breathless groans and climactic screams.
It is the most popular video viewed on the European Commission's recently opened YouTube channel – EUtube – with over 3,5 million views so far.
The flashes are all taken from European movies to promote the EU fund, MEDIA, that helps distribute successful films made in one EU state to others.
The clip - called "Film lovers will love this!" – is one in a series with four other videos, called "European Films — Tapping Into the Talent," "Singing the Blues on the Silver Screen," "Romanticism Still Alive in Europe's Films" and "Joy".
But the EU executive received heavy criticism over the clip for seeking colour to its usually boring image with a sex video.
"They were designed to show the range of strong emotions expressed in European cinema, which is supported by the Commission's Media programme," Ms Wallstrom explained, adding that the figures for viewers on the EUtube have rocketed thanks to the publicity generated by the articles that attacked them.
"Who would have thought that over 200,000 people would watch the clip on the EU‘s contribution to passenger safety?" she asked.