Religious organisations representing millions of followers have united in a nationwide boycott of TopTV, following the company's second application to launch three pornographic channels via its subscription satellite TV platform.
The boycott, which has previously been threatened by bodies opposed to the notion of adult content on SA's airwaves, was announced by the Family Policy Institute (FPI) on Saturday, at a march against violence against women and children outside Parliament in Cape Town.
Founder and president of the FPI, Errol Naidoo, says the 11 allied organisations (listed below) include thousands of independent churches and represent approximately 10 million people. The groups are boycotting TopTV, as well as all of its advertisers and sponsors. "We will target any company or organisation that advertises during [pornographic broadcasts] or supports pornography in SA."
Christian concerns
Naidoo says the Christian church is deeply concerned that the introduction of pornographic channels in SA will exacerbate what he says is a crisis of rape and violence against vulnerable women and children.
"Research overwhelmingly indicates the widespread and easy availability of pornography is harmful to society. Pornography consumption is also linked to marriage and family breakdown, sexual deviant behaviour and sexual addictions that result in social dysfunction.
"We are further concerned that an increasing number of children are being exposed to pornography on the Internet and on television. Introducing three 24-hour porn channels in SA will significantly increase the risk of children being exposed to hard-core sexually explicit images. Pornography demeans and degrades women, and reinforces the stereotype that women are mere sex objects."
Pending decision
On Digital Media, parent company of SA's second satellite TV provider TopTV, first applied to the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) for three 24-hour channels that were to broadcast content from global adult entertainment house Playboy Entertainment towards the end of 2011.
Following the authority's rejection of the application, TopTV tried again a year later - but says the content will be broadcast in the watershed period between 8pm and 5am.
Public hearings were held by ICASA last week, the outcome of which the company - and the South African public - now awaits. No time frames as to when the authority's decision will be made have been supplied.
Naidoo says, should ICASA grant TopTV permission to air adult content, opposing groups will intensify the boycott "until they go out of business".
He says, while the boycott has drawn widespread support from the majority of Christian organisations, the FPI is also liaising with other faith groups that support its view.
"[These] Christian denominations, along with thousands of independent churches in SA, will urge their members to immediately cancel their subscriptions with TopTV. We do this as part of our wider campaign to protect the dignity of women and children in the nation."
Asked if the company was concerned as to how the boycott might affect its advertiser base, TopTV CEO Eddie Mbalo said it would not at this point like to "pre-judge the ICASA process, and therefore will not comment on what is being done by these bodies".
Organisations united in the TopTV boycott include:
- The Apostolic Faith Mission of SA
- The Assemblies of God of SA
- The Baptist Union of SA
- The Southern African Catholic Bishop Conference
- The Church of England in SA
- The Dutch Reformed Church
- The Full Gospel Church of SA
- The Methodist Church of Southern Africa
- The Evangelical Alliance of South Africa
- The Association of Vineyard Churches in SA
- The Family Policy Institute
Share