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Xenophon accuses Sky TV of anti-pokie censorship

Posted November 26, 2008 11:42:00

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon has accused the Sky Racing TV channel of trying to censor a series of anti-gambling advertisements.

The campaign group Pokie Act says Sky has refused to screen a series of ads telling parents not to take their children to venues with poker machines.

Senator Xenophon says Sky should reverse its decision immediately.

"Clearly they're embarrassed by them, but it's not up to them to knock back these ads," he said.

"Sky Racing says they're interested in dealing with problem and this ad should be allowed to run.

"Sky Racing as a horse racing channel is really looking like a bunch of donkeys if they don't act on this."

Senator Xenophon says it is a classic case of corporate censorship.

"It just shows you how precious they are and how sensitive they are to an ad that will actually make a difference," he said.

"This is the perfect audience to get the message across about kids and pokies not mixing, and really the next step is to see whether there are any regulatory steps that can be taken."

Tags: community-and-society, gambling, information-and-communication, censorship, australia