CHRISTIAN groups around the country have renewed their calls for outdoor advertising to be regulated after reaching a new low last week.
In Sydney’s Kings Cross, a Foxtel billboard suggesting an act of bestiality promoting a new television show was displayed on May 1.
A public backlash forced the company to commit to removing the billboard, admitting it was “in appalling taste.”
Australian Christian Lobby chief of staff Lyle Shelton said Foxtel showed no concern for the effects of exposing children and adults to such advertising.
“But because outdoor advertising in Australia is self-regulated, Dracula is in charge of the blood bank and Foxtel knew it could pull this outrageous stunt without penalty,” he said in an article for On Line Opinion.
“It is high time all governments around Australia acted to clean up this industry and imposed heavy penalties for breaches.
“For years outdoor advertisers have flouted community standards and shown contempt to parents and the innocence of childhood with ever more sexualised content.”
Coordinator of public relations in the school of business at the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle, Helen Fordham, said the billboard was clearly offensive.
“It’s a billboard that’s designed to attract comment and to promote the show, and even though they have subsequently apologised, the effect has been to draw attention to the show,” she said.
“We need to make sure that there is sufficient clout in the codes that regulate the industry to ensure that agencies will be discouraged from sacrificing taste for momentary titillation.”
Dr Fordham said research published last year by the University of Wollongong provided strong support for requiring advertisements to adhere to a G-rating.
“The study shows that concerns about sexualised images, the denigration of groups, and messages undermining parental authority, are of general concern in the community and not just the issues of a vocal minority,” she said.
The billboard highlights the contested nature of the contemporary public sphere, Dr Fordham said.
“There’s absolutely no doubt that there is massive competition to get attention,” she said.
“When we’ve got such a pluralistic community now where everyone’s entitled to their views, how can you ascertain and enforce the idea of normalised standards?
“Social media is driving this move towards creative concepts that are dubious and of questionable taste because there is so much competition for audiences.”
President of the Australian Family Association John Barich said the AFA strongly supported the push for G-rated advertisements.