No Church Ads on Railways?

The church's attempt to advertise on the rail network has been blocked.

Jesuit Fr Michael Kelly, CEO of Church Resources, approached Agencies Adshel and Australian Posters, intending to advertise the Daily Prayer Online site www.pray.com.au. This would be home for prayer materials published by Church Resources on the CathNews site.

However, Agencies Adshel and Australian Posters told Fr Kelly that their contracts forbid any "political, racist or religious"advertising.

In an email to Nitro, the advertising agency for Church Resources, Australian Posters sales co-ordinator Cameron Bloomfield said "there is to be no political, spiritual or religious advertising on rail networks within Australia."

Outraged by the reply, Fr Kelly told the Age that Mormons and Bible Society had their ads on railway stations. "How can contracts discriminate on the basis of religion?" he added.

Melbourne's Rail network and Australian Posters are currently reviewing the ban.



Ian Tan ian@christiantoday.com.au