British court upholds ban on Christian radio ad
November 22, 2013
The second-highest English court has upheld a regulatory agency’s decision to ban a proposed radio advertisement, according to a report by Huffington Post UK and the Press Association.
The banned advertisement states in full:
Surveys have shown that over 60% of active Christians consider that Christians are being increasingly marginalised in the workplace. We are concerned to get the most accurate data to inform the public debate. We will then use this data to help make a fairer society. Please visit CCPmagazines.co.uk and report your experiences.
Political advertising has been banned in Britain since 2003, and the Court of Appeal, in its 2-1 decision, ruled that the ad constituted political advertising.
A “fundamental feature of broadcasting regulation in the United Kingdom is that impartiality in broadcast services is maintained,” the court stated in ruling that the advertisement “was directed towards a political end.”
“What matters is the effect of an advertisement on political debate,” the ruling continued. “The question is whether it will frustrate the statutory aim of ensuring that, so far as practicable, the playing field of political debate is level.”
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Further information:
- Court Upholds Ban On 'Political' Christian Radio Advert, Asking For Bullied Followers To Share Stories (Huffington Post UK/PA)
- Britain's Court of Appeal: Christian Radio Ad Barred By Ban On Political Advertising (Religion Clause)
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Posted by: geoffreysmith1 -
Nov. 23, 2013 6:09 AM ET USA
Personally, if anyone attempted to 'marginalise' me because of my religion, I wouldn't bother reporting it to CCPmagazines. I would simply ignore this daft court ruling and deal with the bigot in the good old-fashioned way.
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Posted by: Defender -
Nov. 22, 2013 12:27 PM ET USA
This is political advertising? I guess the Queen's English differs from American. And the BBC isn't biased in their reporting?
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Posted by: jg23753479 -
Nov. 22, 2013 7:17 AM ET USA
The last sentence would be more accurately rendered, "..the playing field of political debate is non-existent." The hypocrisy of the modern liberal simply knows no bounds on either side of the Atlantic.
