A row has broken out over the “censorship” of a Party Election Broadcast (PEB) video produced by Christian Choice for London Mayoral and Assemble Elections. The BBC and ITV have asked Christian Choice to modify parts of their election broadcast to comply with broadcasting regulatory rules.
The objections raised are understood to relate to Mayoral Candidate Alan Craig’s opposition to plans by Muslim Missionary Group Tablighi Jamaat to build Europe’s largest Mosque next to the Olympic site in Newham. Mr Craig claims in the unedited version of the PEB that so called Mega-Mosque would be ‘divisive’.
Having watched the unedited version on YouTube, its difficult to see what the fuss is about, in fact I find Mr Craig’s claims that Christianity offers “concrete advice” on how to live your life far more objectionable than his objections to the Mosque. However, TV broadcasters are bound by tricky red-tape from regulators and censors which, those of us more accustomed to getting our message across either on the print or the web are unfamiliar with, as we thankfully don’t have to work within those restrictions.
For what its worth, this row has generated more campaign publicity for Christian Choice than they could ever have hoped for and has certainly raised their profile far beyond anyone’s expectations. But its important that this row isn’t allowed to develop into something that its not, and in particular what Christian Choice want it to be. Namely, another example of the repression of Christianity in an increasingly secular society.
What this is really is an example of a very minor political party failing to understand the limitations of TV broadcasting regulations. They’ve actually produced a very professional looking Party Election Broadcast, which I think the big three ought to take note of, not for his content, but its production quality and emphasis on how to actually vote. But lets not lose site of the fact both ITV and the BBC have offered to help make the PEB suitable for broadcast and comply with the regulatory requirements. So the TV companies aren’t the censors here if anyone’s to blame is the Broadcasting Standards Authorities.
There are always times when we’d like less stringent broadcasting regulations and its a still a media heavily sanitised by the regulators. But Alan Craig should be careful what he wishes for, with less strict regulatory requirements we’d be destined to see, more sex, nudity, bad language and violence on our screens. Things I’m sure he opposes.
Wake Up Alan. Freedom of expression on Television does not exist, it never has. I say “fuck” far too much to ever be allowed on live TV, but as far as I’m concerned I exercise the right to swear vociferously as part of my freedom of expression. Naturalists wonder around in the buff as part of their freedom of expression, yet they are not allowed on TV unless their genitals are obscured with some form of digital pixeling or blurring.
TV regulation is to blame for this controversy not secularism.
