British Television Will Begin Airing Advertisements for Abortion on Channel 4
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 19, 2010
London, England (LifeNews.com) — Channel 4 will begin airing advertisements starting next week for abortions for the British-based abortion business Marie Stopes international. Last year 29,000 people signed a SPUC-organized paper petition to the prime minister against a proposal to allow abortion agencies to advertise on television and radio.
The Committee of Advertising Practice and the Broadcast Committee on Advertising Practice allowed rules changes that have prompted the ads.
Without the television and radio commercials, MSI has relied on magazines, taxi and bus ads, and advertising through alternative newspapers.
Anthony Ozimic, SPUC communications manager, criticized the coming ads.
“Marie Stopes may claim to be a non-profit organization, but they have a financial interest in drumming up demand for abortion. Marie Stopes has a cavalier attitude to obeying legal restrictions regarding abortion, and has been implicated in illegal abortions overseas," he said.
"Neither Marie Stopes nor any similar organization should be allowed to advertise the killing of unborn children," he added.
“Allowing abortion to be advertised on TV will lead to more unborn babies being killed and to more women and girls suffering the after-effects of abortion. Abortion ads will trivialize abortion," Ozimic continued. "It is an insult to the hundreds of women hurt by abortion every day. Such ads are offensive and will mislead viewers about the reality of abortion."
The pro-life group called on Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to insist that Ofcom controls advertising in this area and to intervene immediately.
The group points out that, technically, abortion is in English law a criminal offence and advertising of a criminal offence is not permitted. Also, English law also prohibits the advertising of restricted (i.e. on prescription) medical procedures, such as abortion.
"The Broadcasting Act 1990 requires that advertising is not offensive or harmful. Abortion is offensive to the countless women damaged by abortion; and lethally harmful to the hundreds of unborn children aborted every day," the SPUC official continued.
SPUC also complained that the advertising forum would be unfair to pro-life advocates.
"Although Marie Stopes claims to be a charity helping women, its huge multi-national revenue means it can afford TV advertising, which is hugely expensive. This creates an unfair playing field, as pro-life groups simply cannot afford any such advertising," Ozimic said.
Related web sites:
Society for the Protection of Unborn Children – https://www.spuc.org
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