Up: Martin Poulter > Scientology Criticism > UK Media Archive
Scientology Ads For TV
The Guardian, September 16, 1996
SECTION: THE GUARDIAN HOME PAGE; Pg. 4
LENGTH: 214 words
TELEVISION advertisements will be screened for the first time this week for the controversial Church of Scientology. The 60-second commercial will go on air on Wednesday night on the UK Gold and UK Living channels.
The pounds 70,000 ad has been approved by the Broadcasting Clearance Centre. In April, the Independent Television Commission lifted a ban on advertising by the church. The move was criticised by the Cult Information Centre and other monitoring groups. Religious groups are banned from advertising on air if their meetings are not open to the public. The ITC accepted that this was not the case with the scientologists. The church has been accused of using high-powered sales techniques and imposing mental pressure, sometimes leading to breakdowns.
Up: Martin Poulter > Scientology Criticism > UK Media Archive