Family First Lobby congratulates Whitcoulls

MEDIA RELEASE
10 MAY 2006

Family First Lobby congratulates Whitcoulls for censoring objectionable magazine

The Family First Lobby congratulates Whitcoulls for taking a magazine, containing an erect condomed penis shown in a NZ AIDS Foundation advertisement, from its shelves.

“For the protection of families and our young people, magazines containing explicit nudity should be rated R16 or R18,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director, “Pornography should, and must, be censored.”

“The publisher is reported as saying that he had already checked with the Office of Film and Literature Classification which advised no restriction would be necessary due to the packaging, the context of the advertisement and the ‘lifestyle’ nature of the publication.”

“If this is correct, the Chief Censor should be held accountable for allowing this type of publication to be freely available to young people,” says Mr McCoskrie. “Unsuspecting consumers should not be confronted with this type of content.”

According to the Advertising Code of Ethics, advertisements should not contain anything which clearly offends against generally prevailing community standards, or is likely to cause serious or widespread offence. The Code for Advertising for children says advertisements should not portray sexually suggestive images.

Once again, this lack of appropriate censoring brings into question the suitability of the current Censors and Board to reflect the standards and level of censorship which families are increasingly demanding in New Zealand.

The Family First Lobby says ‘well done’ to Whitcoulls!

ENDS

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