BBC to silence vuvuzelas!!

TV viewers could soon be able to cut out the sound of the vuvuzela when they watch World Cup matches.

The BBC is thinking about the possibility of offering "vuvuzela-free" coverage via its interactive red button function after hundreds of complaints.

Fans say the droning sound of the plastic horns, which has been likened to the buzzing of millions of angry bees, is drowning out coverage and leaving them with aching eardrums.

Vuvuzelas can generate a drone of up to 144 decibels inside stadiums, which is louder than fireworks, a plane taking off or a rock concert.


Now the BBC is looking into providing "clean" coverage, which would strip out most crowd noise.

A BBC spokesman said on Monday night: "We have already taken steps to minimise the noise and are continuing to monitor the situation. If the vuvuzela continues to impact on audience enjoyment, we will look at what other options we can take to reduce the volume further."

But on Monday the England Supporters' Band backed the use of the vuvuzela, arguing that "when in Rome" the local culture should be respected.

Sheffield-based trumpeter John Hemmingham - who leads the eight-man England orchestra which has not missed a game since 1996 - said the horns were a good thing.

"It's the way South Africans express their joy and pleasure at the tournament being here," he said.

After England took on the US in Rustenburg on Saturday, football pundit Chris Kamara complained the noise was stopping fans from generating chants around the ground.

But Hemmingham said: "We didn't have any problem. The fans around us were all singing along. And a lot of our fans were joining in with us using their vuvuzelas. It all added to the atmosphere.

"There was definitely a different vibe about the place. The South Africans are loving it. And when in Rome, you just have to go along with it.

"I bet there is not a single South African player complaining about the vuvuzela. They see it as more than just a noise, it's about the whole spirit of the thing."

But England fans at home are being turned off by the annoying buzz.

Research revealed six out of 10 fans who watch games at home are now doing so with the volume turned down to cut out the incessant horn-blowing.

One in four said the noise was ruining their enjoyment of the tournament and seven out of 10 want the vuvuzelas banned completely from stadiums.

A string of vuvuzela tales also emerged from the study, including one old lady who rang her cable provider to complain about the "loud buzzing" coming from her television.

Another pensioner called pest control in over the weekend amid fears her house was being attacked by a swarm of bees as she watched England draw with the US.

It also emerged thousands of husbands have been asked to turn the volume down by long-suffering wives due to the infuriating hum which accompanies every game.

In the run-up to the World Cup experts revealed the noise from the vuvuzelas is similar to that generated by a chainsaw.

A spokesman for OnePoll.com, which carried out the research said: "The Vuvuzelas are even more unpopular than Robert Green at the moment.

"They are incredibly annoying. Walking around the strees you can hear the buzz coming from people's houses.

"They really are spoiling the enjoyment of the competition for millions of viewers.

'Women are finding them particularly annoying and they are causing people who would have liked to watch games to avoid them because of the noise.
'One respondent said he had watched every game so far with the sound turned down.'

OnePoll carried out the study among 3 000 fans via their iPhones.

Meanwhile, help could be at hand for TV viewers put off by the constant droning - an internet download promises to eliminate the sound from broadcasts.

Fans play the MP3 file on their HiFi or computer while watching football and it uses "active noise cancellation" to silence the horns.

The download generates a series of inverted sound waves that "clash" with the waves of the vuvuzela to effectively cancel each other out.

The download lasts 45 minutes - enough for one half of football - and can be put on repeat for the second half.

The website, antivuvuzelafilter.com, says: "This is your chance to enjoy the FIFA World Cup 2010 WITHOUT the annoying vuvuzela noise!

"Get rid of the vuvuzela noise through active noise cancellation.'

For maximum effect, antivuvuzelafilter.com say their download should be played through a speaker placed next to the television and set to the same volume.

If done properly it should make the vuvuzelas "so faint as to be inaudible to human ears".