Millions of Christians are joining an “e-tv mass switch off” campaign in protest over the channel’s screening of the show, Naked News, and other pornographic content, says Family Policy Institute director Errol Naidoo.
Naidoo initiated the switch-off campaign on Thursday last week after e.tv dismissed calls by Christians for the cancellation of the late night programme on the grounds that it degraded women and was harmful to children. In a media statement released today, he says that a number of church denominations and independent churches representing millions of Christians have agreed to request their members to support the switch-off campaign.
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In rejecting calls for the cancellation of the programme, e.tv says in a statement released last week that it complies with the code of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA (BCCSA) by presenting the show late at night, with an 18-age restriction and warnings of sex and nudity. Sapa reported today that a BCCSA spokesman, Shouneez Martin, said that Naked News adhered to the broadcasting code, and that it could be blocked by viewers who viewed it on DSTV. She said parents had a responsibility to supervise their children’s television viewing.
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In today’s media statement, Naidoo says church heads who have agreed to support the swtich-off believe that the broadcasting of nudity and sexually explicit content on national free-to-air television degrades and objectifies women and exposes children to harmful content. The broadcasting of pornography also fuels the sexual exploitation and abuse of women and children in society and devalues the family.
He says Christians joining the switch-off are being asked to block out the e-tv channel on DStv and Top Tv – using the parental control facility, or by tuning out the e.tv channel on their television sets until they have a snowy picture.
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“The next phase of the boycott of e-tv will involve a targeted national boycott of all businesses whose adverts are aired before, during and after the broadcasting of pornographic content,” says the media statement.
“Millions of Christians are sick and tired of the moral decay in society. The sexual exploitation of women and children fuelled by pornography contributes significantly to the rape and sexual abuse of women and children in South Africa. This campaign aims to send a clear message not only to e-tv but the SABC, DStv and Top Tv that Christian viewers will not tolerate smut on national television”.
Participating denominations and church affiliations listed in the statement are:
- The Evangelical Alliance of South Africa (TEASA): comprising 29 Christian denominations and 4 million members,
- The Methodist Church of SA: Comprising 600 Churches and 2 million members,
- The Apostolic Faith Mission of SA: (AFM/AGS) comprising approximateely 1, 4 million members,
- The Assemblies of God of Southern Africa: (AOG) comprising 1 650 Churches and 600 000 members,
- The Full Gospel Church of SA: comprising 1 000 Churches and 500 000 members,
- The Baptists Union: comprising approximately 500 Churches and 70 000 members, and
- Thousands of independent non-denominational Christian Churches across the country.
Meanwhile, Africa Christian Action has launched a petition campaign to stop e.tv porn.
Pornography breeds Rapists and Women Abusers.
Its by time we born again Christians stand up and make our standards known.
eTV not only broadcasts naked news but blatant pornography then they have the audacity to make a public declaration on their channal saying they do not broadcast anything that is sexually explicit, etc. and that we should complain to the BCSA – Broadcasting Commission of SA if they do. Shows you their confidence that they believe the constitution will defend them; what hypocrasy. I am so happy people are standing up, keep going please until they stop. If they do not; we should have a public display somewhere legal where we bring our TV’s and smash them then cancel our licenses to make a strong point. We actually do not need all the junk they feed us on TV. I will be the first to do that. One can watch anything YOU choose on the internet or watch DVD’s on your computer, TV’s are fast becoming obsolete as well. We declare the Judgement of YHVH Elohim written against all works of unrighteousness on the Cross of Y’shua (Jesus)and declare they will go out of business if they continue in His Name. Lets take the stand for Truth Now!! Unless the righteous take a stand for Truth evil men will prevail, we already have the victory lets take it now in Y”shua’s Name. Amein.
I think it’s an absolute shame and degrading of woman on their sexual movies and they still say that they don’t broadcast explicate sex, but unfortunately they do and it’s a disgrace to the anyone’s moral values. Yes, those movies should be removed with something more upbuilding and positive so that people will have a good feeling about themselves.
I actually do not agree that porn causes rape but feel very strongly that Christians should be assertive about those issues which have the potential to erode the family values that are crucial to a healthy community. Pornographic visuals and sounds, and even nudity, arouses us all, but especially men, sexually. This can at best give rise to couples being aroused by others to have a satisfying sexual experience. Apart from our Christian ethics, this is dangerous. Pornography also gives rise to self gratification and adultery, and the marketability of porn creates a business for young girls to get into movies which we would hate our own children to be involved in and prostitution. I am not watching e-tv until their policy regarding nude news is rescinded and I have personally written to them to express my feelings about the steamy adverts which interrupt movies that are not marked S or N. For the sake of our country’s children, I urge us all to be strong about this until we are seen to be serious.
It pains me to think that my baby girl will be born into a society that does not care and does not want to live a better lifestyle, but would rather sell themselves short for something as degrading as naked news. Thank God I will be able to teach her the ways of God.
They say we must supervise our children, but in a country where a big portion of our children either only have one parent or are fostered, how can this possibly be a fair or reasonable statement to make. What about teenagers who are left at home when parents go out (should parents not spend time with each other?) and what about teenagers with tv’s in their rooms. Surely the BCSA needs to take these factors into consideration and ammend the rule of alowing explicit sex after a certain hour. When an erotic advert appears during a family movie that is showing late at night (it is not my choice, nor my children’s to see it – we definitely did not receive sufficent warning that an erotic advert was about to appear).
Teenagers tend to sleep later than parents especially over weekends, should parents be sleep deprived in order to control their childrens viewing. And teenagers sleep over at their friends place, what then? The BCSA’s argument that after hours makes it okay is ridiculous and needs to be contended!!
This news that e-tv want to present naked news is unacceptable