BCI Censoring Trocaire's Campaign for Gender Equality

national | gender and sexuality | feature

Thursday March 08, 2007 11:36

by Seamus

International Women's Day 2007

The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI)
have suspended Trocaire's advertisment for its
Lenten Campaign on Gender Equality.

YouTube: Watch The Video

Indymedia.ie contributor Seamus writes:
The BCI have pulled this ad, saying it is investigating complaints of it being 'too political'. Little other information has been made available.

At the most basic level, this is an act of censorship and is anti-women. This is made all the more visible given that tomorrow is International Women's Day, a day that, among other things, serves to highlight the radical inequality experienced by women globally.

Now, while Trocaire are a branch of one of the most anti-women organisations of the world, the Roman Catholic Church, they should be commended for thier campaign shift away from perpetuating the 'black baby' syndrome - the racialised representation of development in Irish society - and 'development as chairty' model of public relations.

Section 10(3) of the Radio and Television Act, 1988: 'No advertisement shall be broadcast which is directed towards any religious or political end or which has any relation to an industrial dispute.'

Related Links: Trócaire warns of conspiracy of silence on International Women’s Day — BCI's stated reasons — RAR 2005 Demo Against Female Genital Mutilation

For those not familair with Trocaire's advertisment please see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKhBnazwAV4

To think that the BCI can stop this in its tracks says alot about the conservative, anti-women sentiment of a public willing to complain that the ad is 'too political', and an organisation willing to censor. Where were the BCI when the EU advertised on the airwaves regarding what they did for Ireland and where to get more information?

This is an act of censorship...
The BCI have pulled this ad, saying it is investigating complaints of it being 'too political'. Little other information has been made available.

At the most basic level, this is an act of censorship and is anti-women. This is made all the more visible given that tomorrow is International Women's Day, a day that, among other things, serves to highlight the radical inequality experienced by women globally.

Now, while Trocaire are a branch of one of the most anti-women organisations of the world, the Roman Catholic Church, they should be commended for thier campaign shift away from perpetuating the 'black baby' syndrome - the racialised representation of development in Irish society - and 'development as chairty' model of public relations.

To think that the BCI can stop this in its tracks says alot about the conservative, anti-women sentiment of a public willing to complain that the ad is 'too political', and an organisation willing to censor. Where were the BCI when the EU advertised on the airwaves regarding what they did for Ireland and where to get more information?

This is an act of censorship. If people have suggestions as to how this can be challenged, your advise would be welcome.

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FYI

The board of the BCI:
Conor J. Maguire : Chairperson - Senior Counsel

Mary Davis : CEO, 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games Organising Committee

Kay McGuinness : Director, Southern Advertising Agency.

Vivienne Jupp : Senior Partner, Accenture.

Mary Kerrigan : Journalist, Barrister.

John Waters : Journalist, Novelist, Playwright.

Angela Kerins : Chairperson, National Disability Authority.
Director, Rehab Group.

Tom Collins : Director, Dundalk Institute of Technology.

John O'Brennan : Chairman, Dublin South FM.
National President, Credit Union Managers Institute.

Joe Griffin : Director, Ashfield College.