Complaint Over Advertisement Not Upheld (Press, 15 December 1977)
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Summary: Complaint Over Advertisement Not Upheld (Press, 15 December 1977)
On 15 December 1977, the New Zealand Press Council ruled against a complaint filed by the National Gay Rights Coalition against "The Press" newspaper. The coalition claimed discrimination after the newspaper allegedly refused to publish a three-column advertisement submitted for the 3 September edition. They sought an apology, arguing that this refusal had undermined their credibility. In response, management from "The Press" clarified that the advertisement was not refused but held over to verify the sponsors' signatures, adhering to standard practices for controversial ads. They expressed regret that the necessity for signature verification was not communicated to the advertisers sooner. "The Press" maintained that it was willing to publish the advertisement once it confirmed the authenticity of the signatures and received consent from senior officials of the organisations featured in the ad. The management pointed to a past situation in which "The Press" had to issue a disclaimer for an anti-abortion advertisement that included a doctor's name, underlining the need for caution in handling sensitive advertisements. The newspaper’s policy allowed it to reserve the right to decline publication of advertisements, even after they had been submitted and paid for. The Press Council concluded that the situation did not constitute a refusal of publication but rather demonstrated that "The Press" had acted reasonably and prudently. The council emphasised that the extra precautions taken were necessary and appropriately exercised in the context. Therefore, they dismissed the complaint by the National Gay Rights Coalition.
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