Australian Atheist Adverts Banned
26.11.08 | Ariane |
Advertising, AFA, Atheist Foundation of Australia, Australia, Censorship, International, News, Transport
A sad day for freedom of speech
This campaign has gone well and truly global. We’ve inspired organisations around the world to launch atheist adverts on buses, including a Christmas campaign from the American Humanist Association, which you can view here – but sadly, one place you’re not going to see the ads is Australia. The Atheist Foundation of Australia have come up with the mildest slogan of all (“Atheism – Celebrate Reason”) and yet the company responsible for transport advertising has balked, ironically giving no reason whatsoever for this strange decision. Here’s the press release:
ATHEIST FOUNDATION OF AUSTRALIA INC
MEDIA RELEASE
BUS SLOGAN REJECTED!
‘APN Outdoor’, the company responsible for Public Metropolitan Transport Advertising, says no to atheism.
The bus slogan campaign proposed by the AFA with the thought provoking sentiment, “Atheism – Celebrate reason!” has been refused for display by ‘APN Outdoors’. Various other phrases have also been deemed unacceptable.
Following the lead of Humanists in London and Washington in the USA, with their intended bus signs, an international programme by humanists and atheists was to commence on the 20th January 2009 using buses to express the secular viewpoint.
Richard Dawkins is supporting the London bus signs, and has stated that such a campaign “will make people think”.
President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, David Nicholls said: “I am flabbergasted. This is extremely disappointing and a severe blow to freedom of expression in Australia. We are witnessing the result of seemingly paranoid executives interfering with pertinent social comment. This action has thwarted the right to state peacefully and openly a legitimate and timely message without violence.
Australia is going to look provincial and narrow in outlook to the rest of the world because of this decision. The planet is moving to a more enlightened era but apparently, public transport advertising agents in Australia have missed the bus.”
You can send the AFA a friendly email to show your support: info {at} atheistfoundation.org(.)au
November 26th, 2008 at 22:10
“Atheism – Celebrate reason!” seems like a very tame statement I can’t imagine what they could possibly object to. I believe it’s either the exclamation mark or the hyphen. I hope the UK ad guys show an iota of sense and don’t copy APN.
November 27th, 2008 at 1:18
Come on Josh, they couldn’t possibly object to the exclamation mark:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/nov/03/comment-and-debate-punctuation
though the hyphen is another matter entirely!
Luckily, the UK ad guys have been great, and hopefully it’ll all go fine.
November 27th, 2008 at 2:45
Do get it right! – you two! It’s a dash, not a hyphen. Dashes separate, sentence structure – hyphens join, word structure.
_____
November 27th, 2008 at 8:57
Is there an expected date for the UK bus campaign?
November 27th, 2008 at 13:29
Adam: You’re absolutely right. That’s why I shouldn’t write emails at 01.20…
Michael: The buses will start running in January, and we’ll be announcing the date closer to the launch – sorry I can’t be more specific at present.
November 27th, 2008 at 14:08
Will there be a launching-day-party? Like meeting to see the first bus with ads? I was thinking about traveling from Germany, in case something is done. I mean, not every day you are able to see and talk with Simon Bishop. I could even write a few pages, that with the pages of other people could lead to a book about the life of Simon. Who knows, maybe in 2.000 years kids have to learn about that: Gospel of Jorge,… (OK, now that I think about it, forget it, let the kids of the future be happy).
November 27th, 2008 at 15:21
Thanks for the info, Ariane, January is nice and short a time to wait for info.
If there is a launch party Simon Bishop should be guest of honour.
November 27th, 2008 at 16:44
Jorge & Michael: If anyone gets honoured at the launch, it should be Ariane. This campaign was her brilliant idea and I can only imagine how much time and effort she has devoted to getting everything organized. My contribution was made without my arse leaving my chair.
November 27th, 2008 at 16:54
Jorge: Great idea, and I’ll write a slightly contradictory Gospel of Richard that will keep the Simonthians discussing his life for years to come.
Adam & Ariane: Okay, I think I’ve found my dash key – but where’s the hyphen key gone?
Josh: It’s the capital “C” they object to.
November 27th, 2008 at 21:47
Simon
If they consider Richard Dawkins for some kind of recognition at the launch then they should put you before him.
Of course Ariane deserves recognition and I’m sure she’ll get it, she will most likely be planning the event anyway. If there is an event you deserve an invite whether you can attend or not.
November 28th, 2008 at 14:33
Jorge: Great idea! Can’t wait to read it.
You’re all very kind – and Simon will certainly be recognised at the launch.
December 1st, 2008 at 4:49
Disgusting. And only the abc has bothered to follow up the story.
Perhaps they should just buy a full-page advert in a national paper. They may not have much choice.
Australia is provincial and narrow in its views – look at internet censorship, R18 for games, or the fact honest john was in power for over a decade.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:41
[...] divulgar sua a visão secular (como sinônimo de ateísmo). Um fracasso para eles aconteceu na Australia: lá a empresa responsável pelos anúncios no transporte público urbano não aceitou a [...]
December 15th, 2008 at 1:47
[...] divulgar sua a visão secular (como sinônimo de ateísmo). Um fracasso para eles aconteceu na Australia: lá a empresa responsável pelos anúncios no transporte público urbano não aceitou a [...]
December 15th, 2008 at 2:00
[...] mundial dos ateus, que nas entre linhas dizem que querem : expressar o ponto de vista secular (“express the secular viewpoint”), como se ateísmo e secularismo fossem [...]
December 18th, 2008 at 8:54
[...] blog de la iniciativa, atheistcampaign.org, recoge algunas de ellas: mientras que los australianos vieron rechazada su campaña (que participaba con la frase “Atheism – Celebrate reason! Sleep in on Sunday [...]
January 12th, 2009 at 12:32
Fracasso para eles aconteceu na Australia: lá a empresa responsável pelos …
January 15th, 2009 at 15:24
[...] está sendo veiculada em dois ônibus de Barcelona (embora sob protestos) e só não chegou à Austrália porque a companhia local responsável pelos anúncios em ônibus se recusou a [...]
March 17th, 2009 at 9:52
The latest on the Oz Atheist buses can be found at http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/forums/showthread.php?t=518
January 5th, 2010 at 4:18
All aboard Tasmanian Buses! – http://jin-ohchoi.id.au/blog/2010/01/all-aboard-tasmanian-buses/
I just posted on my blog about the fact we now have “Atheism – Celebrate Reason!” on the side of busses around our capital city.
A win for the “Atheist Bus Campaign” in Australia.