Advertising in “Penthouse”

Press, 9 November 1983, Page 20

Advertising in “Penthouse”

Sir,—Have New Zealanders been bureaucratically brainwashed? As one who had the privilege to fight for democracy and is not a banner-waver on the visits of nuclear-armed warships dr whether we should kick a football with South Africans, I am concerned about the bureaucratic monster created under a so-called private enterprise government. According to a member of the Indecent Publications Tribunal the reason “Penthouse” magazine has been found objectionable is the offensive content of the advertising. Importation of another overseas magazine has ceased because of its failure to pass the scrutiny of the tribunal. As a retailer of magazines, I asked a cross-section of customers for their opinion on the advertising content and not one saw justification for the tribunal’s attitude. With about 6800 abortions last year and a fall of at least 29,000 in the projected secondary school roll over the next 10 years, where are our priorities?—Yours, etc., L. J. STEVENS, November 7, 1983.