Struggling paycaster TopTV put forward the case for porn on the platform in a presentation to ICASA today (14 March). This is their argument ... see if you agree ...
[Submitted via press release]
TopTV presents ICASA with an overwhelming case for adult content approval
- TopTV’s plans are lawful and a constitutional right
- Adult content is restricted to Watershed period to protect children
- Sexual content does not lead to violence in men
- South Africans have won the right to choose – don’t take this away
Today in Johannesburg Top TV presented a powerful case to ICASA motivating to be awarded the rights to launch adult content through three new subscription-based channels.
The management team from On Digital Media (ODM), the operators of the pay-TV platform, was supported in the presentation of its case to launch three adult entertainment channels by a strong legal team and high profile women’s rights activist and clinical sexologist, Marlene Wasserman, better know to South Africans as Dr Eve.
The team presented arguments to counter the reasons ICASA used previously to reject the application, namely the discrimination of women and issues of the protection offered to children.
Legal advocate Steven Budlender presented compelling evidence that showed that not only were ODM’s plans for its channels wholly within the law, but for ICASA not to grant approval would be unconstitutional.
In a significant change to its original submission in 2011, and in response to considerable public inputs and feedback, ODM’s new submission offers to restrict the broadcast of the three adult entertainment channels to the so-called ‘Watershed period’ which falls between 20:00 and 05:00.
Eddie Mbalo, CEO of ODM, says:“We acknowledge that there is genuine public concern about the protection of children from viewing adult TV content. Even though we have strict mechanisms in place to give parents full control over the access to these channels, as an extra precaution we have made the decision not to broadcast adult material outside the Watershed period, when children are likely to be awake.”
Today’s argument also provided evidence that non-violent sexual content does not lead to an increase in violence in males.
According to Dr Eve, violence in men is rooted in a complex combination of social and family-related issues. “There is no evidence whatsoever to connect the viewing of non-violent sexual images with violent behaviour. In fact the opposite is often the case: access to sexual material actually helps young men better understand their own sexuality, which increases their sense of belonging in society,” she said.
Eddie Mbalo summarised the session with an impassioned plea to ICASA to support the Constitution, for which many South Africans fought and died, and which guarantees every individual the right to choose.