Abortion Advertising For Prime Time TV

TV advertising for abortions could soon be allowed for the first time under the biggest shake-up of advertising rules for 50 years.
Although the advertising watchdog acknowledges members of the public may be offended, adverts for pregnancy advisory services will be allowed in prime-time evening slots on the major channels: ITV, Channel 4, Sky and other broadcasters.
Britain's biggest independent pregnancy advisory service, whose clinicians also perform abortions, said it would immediately consider running adverts.
A Marie Stopes International spokeswoman said: "I don't know if we could afford to do it in prime-time TV, but it would be a very interesting thing to do."
The rule changes coincide with Government efforts to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies in Britain, which, at 42 per 1,000 under-18s, has the highest rate in Europe.
Advisory services will be allowed to reach out to viewers of TV 'soap operas', documentaries and films.
However, pro-life groups accused the advertising watchdog of being "biased" against anti-abortion campaigners in proposing the rule changes, which, they said, would increase the number of abortions.
The shake-up has been proposed by the Broadcasting Committee on Advertising Practice, which covers TV and radio.
Also involved is the Committee on Advertising Practice, which controls other media such as newspapers, magazines and billboards. They have spent the past 18 months reviewing 2,500 rules and regulations and over 400 pieces of legislation.
Among their other proposals, condoms will be allowed to be advertised on all channels during prime time for the first time.
Traditional medicines will also be allowed to advertise.
(BMcC/JM)