Invision Power Services > "Make Poverty History" Banned from TV & Radio

Dªn

Sep 13 2005, 11:49 AM

QUOTE

Make Poverty History ad banned
Tuesday, September 13 2005, 11:43 BST -- by Daniel Saney

Campaign group Make Poverty History has been banned from advertising their cause via radio and television.

In March an advert was run in which celebrities including Brad Pitt and Cameron Diaz clicked their fingers with the explanation "somebody dies avoidably through poverty every three seconds."

Those wishing to know more about the cause or to lend their support to it were directed via the advert to the campaign's website on which visitors were urged to write to the Prime Minister regarding their thoughts on the issue.

This advert has now been held by telecommunications watchdog Ofcom to be in breach of broadcasting rules, since Make Poverty History is by its nature a political body. Political advertising, as opposed to party political broadcasts, is illegal in the UK.

source http://www.digitalspy.co.uk

!

bılʞ

Sep 13 2005, 12:22 PM

QUOTE(Dªn @ Sep 13 2005, 12:49 PM)

source http://www.digitalspy.co.uk

!

Absurd.

Vortex-Steve

Sep 13 2005, 12:38 PM

Well the guidelines are obviously there for a reason. (I would of thought due to complaints in the past over similar adverts). If it's such a major problem then it can be changed... just depends how many political adverts you want to sit through in the future.

Dªn

Sep 13 2005, 12:47 PM

QUOTE(Furnace @ Sep 13 2005, 01:38 PM)

Well the guidelines are obviously there for a reason. (I would of thought due to complaints in the past over similar adverts). If it's such a major problem then it can be changed... just depends how many political adverts you want to sit through in the future.

I'd rather sit through political advertising than bloody Linda Barker.

Sam Granger

Sep 13 2005, 01:00 PM

Damn UK.

Nexonen

Sep 13 2005, 01:41 PM

QUOTE(Dªn @ Sep 13 2005, 01:47 PM)

I'd rather sit through political advertising than bloody Linda Barker.

I think we can all agree about Linda Barker

, but I'm still glad we don't have political adverts on TV. It's actually something I hadn't really noticed before.

Do Americans have political adverts?

Chris T

Sep 13 2005, 02:25 PM

QUOTE(Nexonen @ Sep 13 2005, 02:41 PM)

I think we can all agree about Linda Barker

, but I'm still glad we don't have political adverts on TV. It's actually something I hadn't really noticed before.

Do Americans have political adverts?

Yes. During the last election you may remember a big furore about ads that said Kerry had lied to get medals in Vietnam.

Jaime

Sep 13 2005, 02:47 PM

QUOTE(CTerry @ Sep 13 2005, 03:25 PM)

Yes. During the last election you may remember a big furore about ads that said Kerry had lied to get medals in Vietnam.

And it is for that reason I am glad political ads are banned. I don't want it to become like the US where the media is controlled mainly by the right-wing. Although I am sad that in this case a charity is missing out.

blush

Sep 13 2005, 03:03 PM

QUOTE(Nexonen @ Sep 13 2005, 06:41 AM)

I think we can all agree about Linda Barker

, but I'm still glad we don't have political adverts on TV. It's actually something I hadn't really noticed before.

Do Americans have political adverts?

ALL THE ######ING TIME. Unfortunately I get several stations from northern Washington.

Stephen

Sep 13 2005, 03:05 PM

Well if nothing we all agree on one thing, Linda Barker is bloody annoying

Rikki

Sep 13 2005, 03:20 PM

Why is it absurd and why 'damn UK'? Personally I'm thankful for the rules. If the rules are there then everyone should have to follow them, even if they are a charity.

elj

Sep 13 2005, 03:21 PM

Yeah, I guess if there are rules then they should be followed...

fridgeuk

Sep 13 2005, 03:25 PM

QUOTE(Rikki @ Sep 13 2005, 04:20 PM)

Why is it absurd and why 'damn UK'? Personally I'm thankful for the rules. If the rules are there then everyone should have to follow them, even if they are a charity.

Agreed.

Maddoktor2

Sep 13 2005, 03:29 PM

QUOTE(Nexonen @ Sep 13 2005, 06:41 AM)

Do Americans have political adverts?

Too many.

Dªn

Sep 13 2005, 03:36 PM

QUOTE(Rikki @ Sep 13 2005, 04:20 PM)

Why is it absurd and why 'damn UK'? Personally I'm thankful for the rules. If the rules are there then everyone should have to follow them, even if they are a charity.

Of course, and it'd be crap if we did have a similar situation to the US. But I think an outright ban on political advertising is a bit OTT. I've always kinda thought that, and especially now. It's kinda bizaare that during the election this year, ofcom said they'd stand behind any TV station that refused to air the BNP's PPB's despite it written in their rules that any party with more than (I believe) 5 candidates standing in consitutancies have a right to have their views aired.

Sebastian Mares

Sep 13 2005, 03:56 PM

If anyone is interested, we have to see Angela Merkel's face in CDU commercials every day, too.

Chris T

Sep 13 2005, 03:56 PM

QUOTE(Sebastian Mares @ Sep 13 2005, 04:56 PM)

If anyone is interested, we have to see Angela Merkel's face in CDU commercials every day, too.

Lucky you.

trustedfaith

Sep 15 2005, 06:06 PM

I don't know... this is more charity than political. And if people are whining about charities having commercials on TV well, remember that you're not in Africa starving and dying from AIDS at the age of 7 because you contracted it from your mom.

I know that's blunt and rough. But when people complain about having to deal with commercials that push it in their face, I wonder where their compassion is or do they wish the bubble of their world to not be transparent to the rest of the world outside of it.

Rikki

Sep 15 2005, 06:20 PM

QUOTE(trustedfaith @ Sep 15 2005, 07:06 PM)

I don't know... this is more charity than political. And if people are whining about charities having commercials on TV well, remember that you're not in Africa starving and dying from AIDS at the age of 7 because you contracted it from your mom.

I know that's blunt and rough. But when people complain about having to deal with commercials that push it in their face, I wonder where their compassion is or do they wish the bubble of their world to not be transparent to the rest of the world outside of it.

It was definitely political because the point of the ad was to get people to petition Tony Blair. We have broadcast guidelines and they should be followed by everyone, doesn't matter what the cause is. You can't have exceptions otherwise where's the line?

We have charity ads all the time, asking for donations. Getting people to petition an MP is political though.

trustedfaith

Sep 15 2005, 06:26 PM

I'm sure this was around the time of the G8 summit, which was to address the poverty stricken nations in the world that are hugely in debt to erase their debts in an effort to get them back on their feet.

So, while it can be considered political in the essence that you're trying to get your PM or President involved in helping rid the world of poverty, the main goal is for a charitable cause.

Phil Mossop

Sep 16 2005, 05:35 PM

QUOTE(Rikki @ Sep 13 2005, 04:20 PM)

Why is it absurd and why 'damn UK'? Personally I'm thankful for the rules. If the rules are there then everyone should have to follow them, even if they are a charity.

Agreed. If another 'political body' sees that Make Poverty History are allowed an advert and Ofcom decline their ad, then they'll argue that their advert should be allowed too.