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Summary: Impartiality Queried By Christian Group (Press, 17 May 1985)
On 17 May 1985, the Coalition of Concerned Christians expressed concerns over the impartiality of "The Press," a prominent New Zealand newspaper. This followed the newspaper's decision not to publish a full-page advertisement featuring a list of New Zealand citizens opposed to the Homosexual Law Reform Bill. The advertisement, which had been prepared at considerable effort, was dismissed by the editor due to potential confusion, particularly as another advertisement supporting the law reforms had previously been printed. The coalition accused "The Press" of changing its editorial rules mid-debate, noting that while it had been difficult for them to present their viewpoint, supporters of the bill seemingly had no issues getting their opinions captured in the newspaper. They pointed out that when they were allowed to respond to a feature page endorsing homosexual practices, their contribution was restricted to 1200 words, with specific instructions to avoid Biblical references. The coalition highlighted that their petition against the bill had garnered 600,000 signatures, marking it as the largest petition in New Zealand's history. In response to the criticism, the editor clarified the rationale behind the publication's policy. He explained that the initial rejection of the coalition's advertisement was made reluctantly, particularly in light of the earlier acceptance of an advertisement representing an opposing viewpoint. The editor noted that the coalition's arguments had been presented in a separate feature on the editorial page several weeks prior and emphasised that "The Press" is cautious about engaging in debates concerning Biblical interpretations due to the contentious nature of such discussions.
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