British Court Upholds Ban On Radio Ad To Be Run By Christian Station

In London Christian Radio Ltd. v. Radio Advertising Clearance Centre, (EWHC, April 20, 2012), Britain's High Court (Queen's Bench Division) for England and Wales held that the ban on political advertising on radio broadcasts imposed by Communications Act 2003 (Secs. 319 and 321) does not infringe a Christian radio station's free expression rights protected by Art. 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Radio Advertising Clearance Centre refused to clear an ad that was to be run by the station seeking information from listeners on marginalization of Christians in the workplace. The court found the ad to come within the ban since it was aimed at influencing public policy or bringing about changes in the law. In reaching its decision, the court said:

It must be stressed that it has not been suggested in any way that the stance of the Secretary of State is in any way anti-Christian or that his reasoning would not apply to any other religion. Indeed nothing in this judgment is meant to preclude advertisements by bodies such as the claimants in, for example, newspapers.

Today's London Guardian reports on the decision.