Queerty: More Anti-Gay Media Fines in Singapore (April 24)

More Anti-Gay Media Fines In Singapore

Singapore’s media police have been all about the queer crackdown.

Cable company StarHub found itself fined earlier this month after airing a music video featuring a lesbian kiss. The nation-state’s Media Authority wagged its finger at StarHub, saying the showing was “in breach of the TV advertising guidelines, which disallows advertisements that condone homosexuality.”

Now another channel has been fined $11,000 for broadcasting an episode of fix-it-up show, “Find and Design,” which included a gay couple looking to refashion a game room into a nursery for their freshly adopted baby.

Again, officials claim the offending network illegally promoted gay ways.

ABC: Singapore TV operator fined over lesbian kiss (April 10)

Singapore TV operator fined over lesbian kiss

Updated Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:23am AEST

A cable television operator in Singapore has been fined over $US7,000 for broadcasting an advertisement featuring lesbian kissing.

Singapore's media regulator says an advert promoting a song by Mandarin pop singer Olivia Yan "romanticised scenes of two girls kissing... and it portrayed the relationship as acceptable."

The Media Development Authority says the scenes, aired on the MTV Mandarin channel by StarHub Cable Vision, were in breach of television advertising guidelines, which ban commercials condoning homosexuality.

StarHub says it is disappointed with the watchdog's decision but says it understands the concern and will work closely with partners to ensure broadcasting guidelines are adhered to.

The Canadian Press: Singapore fines cable TV operator for showing commercial with lesbians kissing (April 9)

Singapore fines cable TV operator for showing commercial with lesbians kissing

Apr 9, 2008

SINGAPORE — Singapore's cable television operator has been fined for airing a commercial that showed lesbians kissing.

The Media Development Authority says in a statement on its website that it has fined StarHub Cable Vision $7,200 for airing the commercial in November.

The commercial, which was to promote a song by Mandarin pop singer Olivia Yan, was aired on MTV's Mandarin-language channel, the media regulator said.

The statement says that romanticized scenes of two girls kissing, calling it "a breach of the TV advertising guidelines, which disallows advertisements that condone homosexuality."

StarHub Cable Vision expressed disappointment at the authority's decision to impose a fine but said it would follow broadcasting rules.

Under Singapore law, gay sex is deemed "an act of gross indecency," punishable by a maximum of two years in jail.

Despite the official ban on gay sex, there have been few prosecutions.