A Dublin radio station has been asked by the Broadcasting Commission not to run an advert for a concert organised by anti-war campaigners protesting against US President George W Bush's visit to Ireland pending a decision on whether it breaks a ban on political advertising.
It was claimed today that the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) 'banned' an ad running on Newstalk 106 for the Irish Anti-War Movement/Stop Bush Campaign concert featuring artists such as Christy Moore, Damien Rice, Kila and Mary Black in the Point Theatre on June 19th.
However, the BCI said this evening the advert had been specifically referred to it by the radio station after the station became concerned the ad might be in breach of a ban on political advertising.
The advert was referred to the BCI under Section 10 (3) of the Radio and Television Act 1988, which specifically bans religious and political ads and advertising relating to an industrial dispute.
A spokesman for the BCI said that when the ad was referred to it, the body felt there were "issues raised by the ad" in the context of the ban on political advertising and the nature of the event and the nature of the advertiser.
The issues were unconnected with election coverage, the spokesman said. He said the BCI asked the radio station not to run the ad until a final determination was made. The body will take into account a case outlined to it by the radio station or the advertiser before it make its final determination, the spokesman added.
Sources at Newstalk confirmed the ad had been referred to the BCI after internal concerns about its content. The source said the station is awaiting a determination on whether the advert is in breach of the Act.
The Stop Bush Campaign registered as a 'third party' in the election campaign in order to circumvent a ban on posters under the litter laws. One source said the group may have "inadvertently shot itself in the foot" in doing so, because it might now find itself breaking the law on political advertising on radio.
In a statement, the IAWM said it believes the 'ban' on the advert is "a result of government pressure to silence opposition, particularly the anti-war movement, in the run up to the visit of US president George Bush".
It said the BCI had also informed the IAWM that the ads for the protests would not be allowed on air. Similar ads to those due to run on Newstalk were also to be broadcast on the national commercial station Today FM and the IAWM says these also have been pulled.
IAWM had planned to use the revenue from the concert in the Point to finance the radio and TV ads for the protests due to take place in Dublin on June 25th and at Dromoland Castle on June 26th, when President Bush will be in Ireland for an EU summit.
Mr Richard Boyd Barrett, chairperson of the Irish Anti-War Movement said: "This is another disgraceful attack on freedom of expression by a government that is resorting to every possible means to quell opposition and protest around the visit of George Bush."
"There is nothing in the guidelines by which the BCI operate that suggest that an ad advertising an anti-war event like this gig should not be allowed on the airwaves. All this ad did was give the name of the gig, the artists performing, the gig organisers and the usual details about date, venue and tickets."
He said it was a "clearly political move" by the State to prevent people attending a gig that has opposition to war as its theme.