Campaign Support- Make Channel 4 Apologise on Air
Dear Readers
Same Difference would like to officially announce its support for Mencap’s campaign to get an on-air apology out of Channel 4 for the disablism shown on air in January during Celebrity Big Brother.
Please click the link above to send this e-mail to OfCom’s Ed Richards:
Dear Mr Richards
As someone passionate about equal rights for people with a learning disability, I am disgusted that Ofcom have not asked Channel 4 to apologise over the use of the word “retard” on Celebrity Big Brother.
Although the insult was not directed at a person with a learning disability, the word was used in a negative way that has upset many people.
The charity Mencap recently asked people who watched Channel 4 if they thought it was ok to use the “r” word “as a joke”. Only 1 in 10 people thought this was ok.
I think it is unacceptable that a channel which is broadcasting the Paralympics is allowed to get away with using this word. I ask you to please look again at this issue and force Channel 4 to apologise on air.
Yours sincerely
Lets get together to show them just how wrong their ruling was!
Same Difference 
Hi there – Channel 4 have apologised for this incident (thought not on air) after a campaign by Respond – the learning disability charity.
We then initiated the campaign against Ofcom, and we are delighted that MENCAP has joined our call for Ofcom to reverse its decision not to uphold complaints.
We held a protest outside Ofcom’s building last week (on ‘Spread the word to End the R-word Day’) and handed in a letter addressed to Chief Executive Ed Richards.
I received a formal response by email this morning saying that Ofcom will review its decision. Fingers crossed they make the right one!
You can see photos of the protest on our public Facebook Group – please also join if you are a member of Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=301643650888&ref=nf
Thanks, Louise
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Link to the Ofcom facebook Group here (for some reason the 1st link i posted doesn’t work!)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=30164365… See more0888&ref=ts
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Link to the Ofcom facebook Group here (for some reason the 1st link i posted doesn’t work!)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=301643650888&ref=ts
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Thanks very much for your comments Louise. Fingers crossed they’ll reverse the decision!
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