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Churches pray for naked newsreaders

Johannesburg - Public pressure groups are calling for the removal of e.tv's nude news programme, Naked News, from the air.

Churches as well as pressure groups against pornography and violence against women and children are spearheading the campaign against the titillating news presentation.

Churches are also asking their congregations to pray that female news readers do not continue to reveal their curves along with the truth on Friday nights.

Conservative people are also being asked to boycott e.tv until the programme has been removed.

Naked News is like any other news programme, except that the news readers gradually remove items of clothing until they are stark naked.

Even interviews with people in the studio and on the streets are conducted in the nude.

Pornography

Leading the campaign against Naked News is Errol Naidoo, director of the Family Policy Institute. Over the past few weeks Naidoo has sent letters to over 2000 churches in order to include them in his fight against the nude news readers.

"It's pornography on a free channel where children have open access to the programme. And it encourages sexual offences against women and children," Says Naidoo.

Dr Isak Burger, president of the AGS has also voiced the same concerns to his church congregation of approximately 1.4 million people, according to Naidoo.

‘Degrading’

On Friday e.tv still maintained that the programme was not pornography and that it complies with standards set out by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission (BCCSA).

Channel spokesperson Vassili Vass says: "It is quite apparent that the complainants have not even viewed the programme properly. It's a lifestyle - and entertainment programme with nudity without sex or sexual activity."

Vass also noted that an earlier complaint by one viewer was rejected by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission. However, a spokesperson for the directorate has confirmed that further complaints are being investigated.

Prof Amanda Gouws of the department of political science at the University of Stellenbosch has said that news is serious business.

"Constant exposure to nudity lead to men viewing and treating women as mere sexual objects," says Gouws.

Dr Elaine Salo from the Institute for Women's and Gender Studies agrees, saying that "it is degrading to women".

Naked News producer Craig Kelly says female presenters can decide for themselves whether it's degrading. "The women are intelligent, empowered and successful women who are comfortable with themselves."

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