Do More With Reuters
Partner Services

Singapore fines cable firm for ad with lesbian kiss

Wed Apr 9, 2008 5:11pm IST
 
Email | Print | | Single Page
[-] Text [+]

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Two women kissing in an advertisement led Singapore to fine a cable operator for breaching guidelines on sexuality in the conservative city-state.

Singapore's Media Development Authority, which regulates and censors media and the arts, said on Wednesday it fined StarHub S$10,000 ($7,246) for airing a commercial for a song that featured "romanticised scenes" of lesbians kissing and portrayed the relationship as "acceptable".

The music video of the song, titled "Silly Child" by Mandarin singer Olivia Yan, shows an intimate kissing scene before one of the women rejects her boyfriend at the end of the clip.

"This is in breach of the TV advertising guidelines, which disallows advertisements that condone homosexuality," the media authority said.

Singapore bans sex between men and any man found to have committed an act of "gross indecency" with another man could be jailed for up to two years. There is no legislation on sex between women.

Some homosexuals have deemed the ban as discriminatory and archaic, but Singapore defends it as necessary for the city-state to uphold its conservative values. Charges under the law are rare.

India Investment Summit 2009
India Investment Summit 2009

Top executives and bankers discuss their own plans and the broader opportunities and challenges for India during the Reuters India Investment Summit in Mumbai and Bangalore.  Full Coverage | Blog 

Reuters correspondent Sourav Mishra recounts the unforgettable night of Nov. 26 at Mumbai's Leopold Cafe
Back from the Dead
REUTERS WITNESS - 26/11

Reuters correspondent Sourav Mishra recounts the night of Nov. 26 at Leopold Cafe.  Full Article | Full Coverage 

One Year Later

A look back at the events of 26/11 ahead of the first anniversary of the militant attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people.  Slideshow | Full Coverage 

Cops on trail of "gingerbread town" vandals 12:30am IST 

OSLO (Reuters) - The people of Bergen rolled out the cookie dough Monday as local police tried to sniff out vandals who destroyed the Norwegian city's traditional Christmas decoration -- a town of gingerbread houses.  Full Article