MARCHERS CALL FOR REMOVAL OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT PROGRAMMES FROM TV BROADCASTS

Saturday, 21 May: In both Cape Town and Johannesburg, about 150 Christians from a broad spectrum of churches marched to the ETV studios to hand over a memorandum calling for the removal of sexually explicit programmes from this free-to-air channel.

The channel has already received thousands of emails from concerned South Africans, informing them of their decision to boycott E-TV until they cancel Naked News and other pornographic programmes. The following denominations have pledged their support of this campaign: The Evangelical Alliance of South Africa, The Apostolic Faith Mission of SA, The Baptists Union, Full Gospel Church of God, The Assemblies of God of Southern Africa and The Methodist Church of SA.

The introduction to the memorandum states, " As concerned citizens of South Africa, we are alarmed that national broadcasters and E-TV especially, should have so little concern for the negative impact that sexually explicit programming has on children and how women are viewed in society."

The memorandum calls for "the immediate cancellation of Naked News on E-TV including the removal of all other sexually explicit programmes portraying women in a negative light on E-TV, the SABC, DSTV and Top TV."

E-TV's Group Head, Monde Twala, noted the concerns but believes that they are not violating the Broadcasting Code of Conduct and that the programmes are no danger to children as they are screened late at night.

However, the memorandum included a testimony from a children's counsellor that described how children are being exposed to E-TV's sexually explicit content with detrimental effects. E-TV has ignored the very credible research regarding the alarming trend of the sexualisation of children. Research of the prevalence and consequences of the sexualisation of girls has been well documented in the American Psychological Association Task Force's Report on the Sexualization of Girls.

Furthermore the memorandum noted the objection of the marchers to women being portrayed as mere sex objects or commodities in the media.

The memorandum will also be sent to SABC, DSTV and Top TV.

Go to the Africa Christian Action page on Facebook to view photos.

Africa Christian Action will be educating, motivating and mobilising the public to protect women from the exploitative abortion and pornography industries this Women's Day (9 August 2011) through literature tables and displays in shopping malls country-wide.

Christian Action 20th Anniversary DVD Now Available
Be informed and inspired by this 4-disc DVD set of footage of Christian Action outreaches, marches and debates on national TV. Footage includes the 1995 March to Parliament against the Paganisation of South Africa, The Big Question debate on Gun Control; Debate on the Death Penalty, Crux Christian programme and TV News on the Pink Agenda book, National Day of Repentance and Life Chain footage.

This DVD set is available for R180 from Christian Liberty Books: 021-689 7478, admin@christianlibertybooks.co.za.

Africa Christian Action
PO Box 23632
Claremont
7735 Cape Town
South Africa
Tel: 021-689 4481
E-mail: info@christianaction.org.za
Web: http://www.christianaction.org.za/

For more information and resources contact: AFRICA CHRISTIAN ACTION PO Box 36129, Glosderry, 7702, South Africa Tel: (+27 21) 689-4481 Fax: (+27 21) 685-5884 E-mail: info@christianaction.org.za