For immediate release.....

Society for Promotion of Community Standards Inc.
P.O. Box 13-683 Johnsonville

Press Release
29 March 2007

Anti-Bradford Bill March as It Was, Not as Reported

The Society is concerned at the biased manner in which mainstream media covered the protest march against Sue Bradford's anti-smacking bill, held in Wellington yesterday. For example, TV3 gave no coverage of any of the speeches while giving good coverage to speeches given at a tiny pro-Bradford bill gathering of "30 people" in Auckland. Speeches opposing the bill were delivered in parliament grounds in Wellington to a large protest crowd by Lindsay Perigo (Libertaria and high profile media commentator), Heather Roy MP, Larry Baldock, former MP, Chester Burrows, National MP and sponsor of an amendment to the bill; Christine Rankin (former CEO of Work & Income), and Bob McCroskrie, Director of Family First (see video coverage links below).

In Wellington reporter Duncan Gardner and the TV3 film crew were focused almost entirely on filming the tiny group of about 20 noisy Bradford bill supporters who stood on the fringe of the main protest and peformed in front of them. TV3 appeared determined to give prominence to a few pro-bill supporters who harangued the marchers from the footpath and failed to allow the anti-bill marchers to explain why they were protesting about. The opinions of those addressing the well-natured main protest crowd, which sang the full national anthem twice in parliament grounds and listened attentively to well-delivered speeches, were ignored in the TV3 coverage.

To see what actually happened and a more balanced report check out the website: www.Youtube.com and type in the keywords 'section59 march' into the search engine or go direct to:

1. The March...8:09 mins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD8nW15JC_Q

The speeches...
2. Lindsay Perigo and Heather Roy - 8:28 mins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiQAI04jm0g

3. Larry Baldock and Chester Burrows - 8:45 Mins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbviZdqN5zs

4. Christine Rankin, Bob McCroskrie and Sheryl Savill - 4:53
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsu4iG286NM

ENDS

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