In The News: Knightley's anti-domestic violence advert banned
This is Just-In. Popular British actress Keira Knightley’s anti-domestic violence advert has been banned from British Television for being too violent.
The Bend It Like Beckham and Pirates of the Caribbean actress stars in this two-minute video for British charity, Women’s Aid. She plays an actress who returns home after a day of shoot to an abusive boyfriend who first accuses her of having an affair with a co-star and then proceeds to physically abuse her. The ad called "Cut Movie" has already more than a million hits on YouTube.
The advertising approval body of UK, Clearcast, has deemed the scene of Knightley being kicked and punched to the floor, too violent for broadcast, and has stated that the ad will air on television if scenes showing Knightley being thrown to the floor and beaten are removed. Clearcast is the company responsible for the pre-transmission examination and clearance of television advertisements.
OK! Magazine brings a quote from Chris Hirst, managing director of Grey London Advertising Agency which created The Cut. Chris says, "The reason we are still in conversation with Clearcast about it is because it is too violent. Part of the campaign is to raise awareness about domestic violence, and spark debate, which the advert has done, even if it doesn’t make it on television."
The news is already creating a huge buzz on Twitter and various blogs online.
Tagged domestic violence
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KritikaApril 27, 2009 at 10:48 pm
It’s funny how it hurts our sensibilities to see Violence on TV and it’s the same society that allows Domestic Violence in reality to go unchecked, uncensored.
K.F.April 27, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Well Kritika, violence on television has been known to influence violence in reality. That’s common sense, which is why there are movie ratings and so forth. Let’s not be negative or defensive, this may not be an attack on the campaign against domestic violence, it’s important that there be major awareness but exposing our children to that kind of violence is no solution either. Psychology forbids it.
K.F.April 28, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Well I can’t be too sure as to why the ad was removed and I appreciate your insight into the matter as a woman who advocates for the rights of other women, however, as a human being who advocates for the rights of human beings what I’d say is “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
CarolynApril 28, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Interesting conversation, but I think that there is a difference between awareness building, sensationalism and promotion of violence. It may be a thin line that separates all of them, but I think that the above comment fuels the fire of those who are taking these ads off the air. Whose sensibilities are we trying to protect? What are people afraid of? Because if it’s violence, then there are hundreds upon hundreds of television shows, advertisements, movies, and video games that should be summarily banned and taken off the air and out of the line of sight from children. But somehow they continue to be pervasive forces of entertainment in societies around the world. I do not have any statistics about these types of media and who knows how many of them have been banned from public distribution, but they are still a part of mainstream culture. But somehow domestic violence is different. The reason for the removal of the advertisement is not violence. Let’s not kid ourselves. It’s because it cuts too deep, it’s too close to home and it exposes too much reality for people to handle. Let children play with toy guns and play video games that you win based on the number of people you kill, but the reality of a woman getting beaten by someone that supposedly loves her? Off the air. Immediately. Psychology and protection of our children have nothing to do with this. Let’s not make excuses for this type of biased behavior.
CarolynMay 5, 2009 at 5:37 pm
I don’t know what that means. What are the two wrongs?