Is the ban on political broadcast adverts preventing people from doing good? Was Bono’s latest celebrity-filled advertisement, released by his charity, a political act or merely an effort to draw attention to famine in East Africa? Polis intern April Simpson reports

Simpson, April

LSE Research Online

F**king Clooney2011-10-9Should charities be allowed ‘political’ advertising on TV?blogs.lse.ac.uk /polis/2011/10/09/should-charities-be-allowed-political-advertising-on-tv/Is the ban on political broadcast adverts preventing people fromdoing good? Was Bono’s latest celebrity-filled advertisement, released byhis charity, a political act or merely an effort to draw attention to famine inEast Africa? Polis intern April Simpson reports.The organization that approves British adverts says “The F Word —Famine is the Real Obscenity,” violates rules on political advertising, andhas refused to broadcast it in the UK. However, a spokeswoman for ONE,the U2 singer’s favourite charity, says the minute-long piece will bebroadcast in the U.S. and France.Katherine Sladden, ONE media manager, says ONE is not a politicalparty, nor is it affiliated with any political organization. “Our objectivesrelate only to the health and well-being of those in poverty,” she said in anemail.The advertisement cuts to celebrities including Idris Elba, GeorgeClooney, Jessica Alba and Kristin Davis, presumably shouting obscenities— a black strip covers their mouths — before Bono interjects that “famineis the real obscenity.” Repeated lines like “30,000 children have died in 3months” and “famine is manmade” drive home ONE’s claim that the foodcrisis in East Africa was preventable.Clearcast, the organization that approves adverts, said ONE may be in violation of the country’s 2003Communications Act.“These rules ensure that adverts aren’t being broadcast by bodies whose objects are wholly or mainly political,”Clearcast said in a press release, adding that ONE aims to “pressure political leaders.”The advert is part of ONE’s “Hungry No More” campaign, which is drawing signatures for a petition asking worldleaders to “break the cycle of famine” when they meet at the Group of 20 Summit next month in France.ONE told BBC it’s challenging the decision. Clearcast says it is working with with ONE to remove any “apparentlylegal hurdles” so the ad may be cleared.The controversy not only raises issues about broadcast regulation, but also about NGOs. What right do they have tocampaign on ‘political’ issues. How accountable are they and their celebrity supporters? What, in your opinion,constitutes political advertising? Is the “The F word” political or humanitarian?This article by Polis reporter April SimpsonCopyright © 2014 London School of Economics and Political Science1/1

Should charities be allowed ‘political’ advertising on TV?

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

LSE Research Online