Free Speech Union, Summarised by Centrist
A few weeks ago the conservative lobby group Family First had arranged for full page advertisements in NZME, Stuff, and Allied Press newspapers for their “What is a Woman” campaign. Their ad had been approved and was ready to run, but at the last minute, all three companies notified them that their ad had been pulled, with Stuff noting the ad’s “sensitive nature”. It was also revealed that the companies were in touch with each other to decide to pull the ad collectively.
Free Speech Union make the point that the decision shows “just how narrow our conversation bandwidth has become; media companies capitulate to cancel culture before an ad is even run!”
FSU argues that this “emboldens the use of censorial tactics.”
Free Speech Union says they have been in touch with the Chief Executive of NZME, Michael Boggs and major shareholders, and Johnathan Ayling of the FSU met the Chief Executive of Allied Press, Grant Mackenzie, to make the case against the editorialising of advertisement.
The FSU says the media “make an ‘outrage-rod’ for their own backs when they pick and choose in this manner.”
