Word TV, a
Christian TV show run by evangelical pastor Charles McVety, has been
shut down temporarily after the Canadian TV censor ruled that it had
discriminated against gays.
'Outraged' nutters have called the ruling an act of
censorship, while McVety himself has condemned the ruling, calling it a
gross
breach of democracy and reminiscent of totalitarian
regimes of the past.
Crossroads Television System, a Christian broadcaster
took McVety's show off the air after the Canadian Broadcasting
Standards Council (CBSC) ruled in June that the program put them in
violation of their code of ethics.
The CBSC panel, which released the decision on
Wednesday, rebuked McVety for claiming that the homosexual movement is
driven by a conspiratorial agenda and suggesting that they
prey on children.
The panel complained that he had described the Pride
parades, which they said had become mainstream, as sexual
perversion and sex parades. They also chastized him because
he said Toronto was being advertised as a sex tourism destination
... with full opportunity for sex with hot boys.
McVety had also said that homosexual activists seek to
indoctrinate children because unfortunately they have an insatiable
appetite for sex, especially with young people. And there're not enough
of them, so they want to proselytize your children and mine, our
grandchildren and turn them into homosexuals.
The panel wrote: Given the central role that the
manifestation of gay pride plays in the LGBT world, the immediately
preceding comments constitute a derision of the traditions and
practices of that community.
The panel also stated that McVety broke the code of
ethics by attributing to the gay movement a malevolent, insidious
and conspiratorial purpose, a so-called 'agenda'. This constitutes
abusively
discriminatory comment on the basis of sexual orientation,
they wrote.
CTS TV, who made the decision to cancel the show, told
LifeSiteNews, that as a member in good standing of CBSC they have a
responsibility to comply with the Canadian Association of Broadcaster's
Code of Ethics and Equitable Portrayal Code. It is our policy in these
circumstances not to air the program until we have assurance from the
program that content will be compliant. CTS anticipates that
the program Word TV will be reinstated in short order.
Update: Reinstated with conditions
See article
from jewishtribune.ca
The recent decisions by Crossroads Television System
(CTS) – first, to remove the popular Dr. Rev. Charles McVety's Word TV,
and subsequently to re-instate it, albeit with conditions of
pre-screening and censorship – are not the end of the story, according
to the Christian Evangelical leader.
Another finding against him is expected with possibly
more to come, Rev. McVety said, referring to a discussion he had with
Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) chair Ron Cohen. It was the
CBSC findings upon which the CTS decisions were based.
Word TV was pulled last week because of statements the
council determined – behind closed doors – that Rev. McVety, president
of Canada Christian College and the Canada Family Action Coalition,
allegedly made against the gay community in violation of sections of
the Canadian Association of Broadcasters code of ethics.
According to a media release from Rev. McVety, which
compared CBSC practices to kangaroo courts, the accused had
been told nothing about the proceeding, shown none of the evidence,
told nothing of the accusation, was allowed no defence and is permitted
no appeal. This is undemocratic. It flies in the face of the
Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
In an interview, Cohen acknowledged that Rev. McVety,
the strongest voice of Canadian Evangelical Christians, was denied the
opportunity to attend meetings where accusations had been made against
him or to defend himself.
