Churches slate porn TV

29 Jan 2013

The South African Council of Churches (SACC) is "critical" and "unsupportive" of TopTV's application to broadcast three porn channels.

TopTV has made a second application to broadcast three "adult content channels" that will be viewed by subscribers.

"We are critical to that. Already with the little we are exposed to we are concerned with the outcomes of those kinds of exhibitions," SACC general secretary Reverend Mautji Pataki said.

"There are very high rates of rape and though we don't know the cause ... we can assume that there is a correlation. These channels could create an imagination that could lead to bad behaviour and crime. We do not support it," Pataki said.

Last week TopTV confirmed an application with the country's communication regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), to air three porn channels in the country.

Rumours persisted that the move, that saw opposition in its first application, was prompted to save the organisation from financial trouble.

"Nothing could be further from the truth. As previously stated in the statement issued by TopTV at the time, the business requires a capital injection from a strategic equity partner," TopTV chief executive officer Eddie Mbalo said.

He further stated that it would be naïve to believe that getting permission to air the porn channels would be enough to save the company, which needs a financial injection.

'South Africans are mature enough to take personal responsibility for their television viewing habits'

Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) opposed the channel's first application last year.

"Cosatu is totally opposed to such channels, which we believe will reinforce sexist attitudes and encourage the abuse of women, which is already a massive problem," spokesman Patrick Craven said.

Mbalo insisted that the second application differs from the first one, which was met with a public outcry.

"The current application that has been submitted to Icasa differs from the previous one, and takes into consideration the various submissions, viewpoints and comments made previously."

"We believe that South Africans are mature enough to take personal responsibility for their television viewing habits," he added.

Pataki disagreed with the statement and said even in the midst of maturity that there are still people who consume high volumes of illicit drugs.

Icasa stated the rights of women as one of the reasons it denied the channel the right to broadcast in its first application.

Source: Sowetan, via I-Net Bridge

Source: I-Net Bridge

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