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mediamarch held its first northern march of peaceful protest in Manchester on Saturday 16 October 2004, Speakers included Dennis Wrigley of the Maranatha Community,
Nick Thompson, founder of the Life Newspapers vision with over 15 years experience in national newspapers, Afzal Khan of the Muslim community and founders of mediamarch, Pippa Smith and Miranda Suit.
mediamarch, campaigning for more wholesome entertainment, have consistently warned about the harmful effect of the increasing portrayal of violence, sex and bad language in the media.Considerable research evidence exists to back up their concerns.
Media-fuelled crime, anti-social behaviour, sexually transmitted diseases and teenage pregnancies are all on the increase, yet the media industry ignores evidence and the mounting public concern, and fails to halt the increasing tide of noxious material on our TV screens, in films, video and DVD, mobile phones, song lyrics, advertisements, magazines, newspapers and, most worrying of all, the internet.
The Manhunt murder is just the latest tragedy involving the media.Fourteen-year-old Stefan Pakeerah was killed by his 17-year-old friend Warren LeBlanc and the victim's family blame the murder on Leblanc's obsession with the video game Manhunt, which depicts gruesome scenes of gratuitous violence. Hammers and knives are used throughout - the very weapons chosen by Leblanc to murder his victim. How many more children have to DIE before the government acts to control the media and make it accountable?
Now, hardcore pornography is poised to go mainstream. Many R18 DVDs are being given certificates and sold in vending machines in hotel restrooms. In their Public Consultation on the proposed Broadcasting Code, Ofcom asked if R18 material should be allowed on television services such as Pay Per View.Meanwhile, they are proposing to relax regulation even more in the new Code.They have abandoned taste and decency requirements in favour of freedom of expression and generally accepted standards. Since mediamarch mounted a postcard campaign, concerned members of the public have sent some 10,000 postcards to Ofcom and MPs.
The mediamarch nationwide petition with 115,000+ signatures, calling on the government to strengthen the obscenity laws and give the media clear and strict guidelines is to be presented to the Department for Culture, Media & Sport by a delegation of MPs this autumn.
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