Tabloid's boobs 'may shine'
2005-05-12 11:19
Cape Town - South Africa's press ombudsman Ed Linington on Wednesday rejected a complaint about Page 3 photos of half-naked women in local tabloid Son.
Jessica Samson complained that the photos were exclusively aimed at the commercial exploitation of women.
Linington referred to a recent ruling by the Film and Publication Board that set aside a request to ban people younger than 18 from buying three magazines, FHM, GQ and Cosmopolitan.
He said it was his opinion that children were exposed to explicit sex education in schools in a bid to curb the spread of HIV/Aids.
Most children are not ignorant when it comes to sex and bare-breasted women are commonplace on the beaches of Cape Town and other countries, he said.
He said that although the pictures could be seen as being provocative and titillating, they were no more degrading or vulgar than paintings in art galleries and public places.
"It is far-fetched to say that such photos damage children or encourage rape and other physical or sexual attacks against women."
According to Linington, newspapers are commercial enterprises and there is nothing wrong with trying to make a profit.