Offensive billboard will come down: ANN7

12 Sep 2013

The Gupta family's new TV channel Africa News Network 7 (ANN7) has agreed to remove its giant billboard on the N1 highway near the Grayston off-ramp in Sandton, Beeld reports.

The South African Older Persons' Forum recently lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) about the advertising campaign, which displayed a picture of an elderly man with the words "We are not old farts. . . nah, not even our presenters".

Forum national coordinator Roedolf Kay, said the wording amounted to abuse of the elderly in terms of the Older Persons Act.

According to the ASA, the forum requested the removal of the board and that ANN7 should either be reprimanded or fined.

The ASA said it was not authorised to impose fines on any advertiser.

ANN7 said the board was part of an advertising campaign centred on wordplay, and that there had been no intention to harm or offend anyone.

The rental agreement for the billboard was cancelled and the advertisement would be replaced by artwork.

The ASA accepted the undertaking conditional to the removal of the billboard and an agreement not to use it again in future.

Source: Sapa, via I-Net Bridge

Source: I-Net Bridge

For more than two decades, I-Net Bridge has been one of South Africa’s preferred electronic providers of innovative solutions, data of the highest calibre, reliable platforms and excellent supporting systems. Our products include workstations, web applications and data feeds packaged with in-depth news and powerful analytical tools empowering clients to make meaningful decisions.

We pride ourselves on our wide variety of in-house skills, encompassing multiple platforms and applications. These skills enable us to not only function as a first class facility, but also design, implement and support all our client needs at a level that confirms I-Net Bridge a leader in its field.

Go to: http://www.inet.co.za