Letter: The case against censorship and screen violence
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.HAVING started off your leader 'Viewers' death wish' (14 March) by castigating me for, you say, favouring censorship, you then proceed to expound the arguments that have been at the heart of our campaign for years: the glamorisation of violence and the power of television, proved by the advertisers' dependence upon it. You also speak of the 'hypocrisy' of those who claim that the screen cannot influence human behaviour, and so on.
It was not me who said in 1954 that programmes 'should not offend against good taste or decency, give offence to public feeling or incite to crime or disorder'. It was the broadcasting authorities in agreement with the Home Office. The Broadcasting Act of 1990 made these obligations a legal constraint.
We as an association believe external censorship is wrong. That does not mean that the public should not exercise its democratic right to speak out when we feel our homes to be violated, the threat to public order increased, or our children exposed to examples contrary to their interests.
At our first public meeting in Birmingham in May 1964 I said: 'If violence is constantly portrayed as normal on the television screen it will help create a violent society.' And so it has.
Mary Whitehouse
President, National Viewers'
and Listeners' Association
Colchester, Essex
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments