Today, a major news syndicate, Independent
Newspapers (Kwa-Zulu/Natal), cancelled a paid pro-life advertisement at at the last
minute. The excuse by the Head of the Classifieds Department was: "The editor has
said that this kind of advert is not allowed and has to be killed...". The editor,
David Canning, was not available for comment. The advertisement was refused by the Natal
Mercury and the Independent on Saturday.
The advertisement, placed by Christians for Truth, read: "Baby Jane - Tragically
killed by abortion in January 2003. Christians for Truth mourns the 265 398 lives lost in
the 6-year holocaust of legal abortions on demand since 1 February 1997. "They shed
innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters..." Psalm 106:38. May God have
mercy on South Africa. For further info contact 032 481 5512"
Christians for Truth is considering taking up the matter with the press ombudsman and
other media authorities.
Life News Editors comment:
It is ironic and hypocritical that Independent Newspapers, which protested bitterly
against apartheid era newspaper censorship is now censoring the pro-life viewpoint. Such
censorship has been noted previously in its failure to report on pro-life protests or
publish pro-life letters to the editor. Nevertheless, it has never been so blatant. It is
interesting Independent Newspapers daily runs adverts for Marie Stopes abortion clinics.
Perhaps they fear offending a more profitable source. Such a policy would surely
compromise Independent Newspapers capacity to report fairly on the abortion issue.
Nevertheless, such censorship usually tends itself to generate more news than what would
have occured without such censorship.
You can send your comment to David Canning privately at canning@nn.independent.co.za
and to the letters column of his newspaper at mercletter@nn.independent.co.za or fax
031-3082444
Christians for Truth can be contacted at mail@cft.org.za or 032-4815512
4 Febr 2003 - MISA - South
Africa (www.misa.org)
Pro-life advert "censored"
The editor of The Mercury newspaper has defended
his decision not to publish an advert from pro-life organization Christian for Truth
(CfT), saying "the language of the adverts must be in good taste, reasoned and
temperate."
Editor David Canning was responding to accusations by
the organization that The Mercury and the Independent on Saturday,
which are both owned by Independent Newspapers, denied anti-abortionists a voice by
refusing to publish an advert in the newspapers on January 31, 2003.
The advert was produced to mark the sixth anniversary of
legal abortion on demand in South Africa. The advert, featuring text only with no
pictures, read:
"Baby Jane—Tragically killed by abortion in
January 2003. Christians for Truth mourns the 265 398 lives lost in the six-year holocaust
of legal abortions on demand since 1 February 1997. ‘They shed innocent blood, the
blood of their sons and daughters’… Psalm 106:38…May God have mercy on
South Africa".
Mr. Olsen K E, from CfT told the South African chapter
of MISA (MISA-SA) that the editor is expressing his personal opinion which is not the
public opinion, hence the newspaper should accommodate all views. He said the Natal
Mercury on February 04, 2003 carried over 250 prostitution adverts in the section
called ‘Adult Amusement’, which is definitely "in bad taste", he added
that prostitution is illegal also proved in a court case of September 2002. "What is
in bad taste, is it the call for unborn babies to be protected or is it adverts selling
human bodies", Olsen asked.
MISA-SA calls all editors to be tolerant, promote media
diversity and pluralism of views as enshrined in the Windhoek declaration of 1991.
Background
The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1996,
which allows for abortion on request for all women over the age of 16 in the first 12
weeks of pregnancy and first 20 weeks in certain cases, came into effect on February 1,
1997.
