ST Life!: StarHub fined for lesbian video (April 10)

April 10, 2008

StarHub fined for lesbian video
CABLE television operator StarHub Cable Vision (SCV) has been fined
$10,000 for airing a music video that showed two women kissing for
about nine seconds.

The clip for Sha Hai Zi (Silly Child) by Mandarin pop singer Olivia
Yan aired over MTV Mandarin Channel on Nov 26 and 28 last year. It
shows Yan kissing and embracing actress Pei Lin.

According to the Taipei Times, Pei has been getting kudos from
netizens for her portrayal of a lesbian in the music video, supposedly
a first for Taiwan.

The Media Development Authority (MDA) said in a statement on its
website yesterday that 'romanticised scenes of two girls kissing were
shown and it portrayed the relationship as acceptable'.

The statement added: 'This is in breach of the TV advertising
guidelines, which disallows advertisements that condone homosexuality.'

MTV Mandarin had classified the music video as a commercial for Olivia
Yan's album.

MDA had consulted the Advisory Committee for Chinese Programmes and
the committee agreed that the clip had promoted lesbianism as
'acceptable and romantic'.

Ms Caitlin Fua, StarHub's corporate communications manager, responded:
'We are disappointed with MDA's decision to impose the penalty.'

SCV informed MTV to stop airing the music video as soon as the matter
was brought to its attention by the MDA.

She added, however, that SCV understood MDA's concern and will work
with its content partners to ensure that local broadcasting guidelines
are adhered to.