Bono's ONE Charity Advertisement Banned In U.K.

U.K television has banned U2 frontman Bono's ONE charity famine campaign because it may break political advertising rules, BBC News reports.

The short film, which Bono shared in an exclusive blog post with Huffington Post Impact, calls for governments to fight famine in Africa. Other big name celebrities, including George Clooney, Colin Farrell and Kristin Davis, joined Bono in his plea.

Clearcast, the entity responsible for approving television advertisements, said the organization seems to have a political agenda. Airing such a message breaches the 2003 Communications Act, according to BBC.

"ONE appears to be caught by this rule as they state that part of their raison d'etre [reason for existence] is to pressure political leaders," a Clearcast spokesperson told BBC.

A representative from ONE said that the organization has no political agenda and is simply trying to raise awareness.

This campaign is just one facet of Bono's activism work in Africa. In August, he and Somali singer K'naan spoke with Anderson Cooper about the crisis.

"You can blame droughts on God, but famines are man-made," Bono told CNN. "We know exactly what to do, and this shouldn't be happening."

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Comments

[Kay Nicks]

08:28 PM on 10/08/2011

Always controversial........any time you can ignore the critics & promote the cause,
it's a beautiful day...... Bono Rocks.

[FabulousPoodle]

09:12 AM on 10/15/2011

He does indeed. The world is a better place with Bono in it. (waiting for people to flame me, FINE, go ahead)

[Kay Nicks]

10:27 AM on 10/15/2011

Then I'm in very good company. :) They can flame both of us. (((Bono)))

[LMPE]

06:03 PM on 10/08/2011

Yeah, mustn't let people know about events in the world.

[Pat Bateman2000]

05:57 PM on 10/08/2011

I think that when U2 makes 400 million on a tour, hides it in off shore tax shelters and then only about 1% of the money that ONE collects actually goes to the needy, I'll pass and give to a better charity.

http://current.com/entertainment/music/89844052_irish-protest-at-u2s-tax-exile-status.htm

[lifeinopera]

05:05 PM on 10/08/2011

I love this ad!!

[onejamesp0000]

04:32 PM on 10/08/2011

this AD is stupid Bono is an Idiot !!

[orglib]

05:05 PM on 10/08/2011

Huh? Bono an idiot? You're kidding, right?

[JTWallace]

03:46 PM on 10/08/2011

It would be wonderful if these events could make a difference. But as long as the rulers of these countries continue to pocket the monies contributed by those nations who believe it helps, then there will never be anything but starvation for these poor people. What's the answer. Who knows. It won't and never has gone away. If Bono could help, why not!

[jackson47]

03:14 PM on 10/08/2011

Asking the governments of the world to help with famine relief is political?
Who'da thunk.

[RGT333]

03:12 PM on 10/08/2011

Smooth ad. So, the BBC banned it, but they did not stop the Net. I don't watch BBC, so I wouldn't have seen it except for this article. Spread the word.

[ljb860ljb]

02:54 PM on 10/08/2011

Yes a political agenda not supported by the wealthy class THEREFORE BAD. The agenda is to push politicians to do something rather than just spout platitudes.

[garystartswithg]

02:29 PM on 10/08/2011

People profit from other people's death, so it will continue. Is there blood in your gas tank? If you have a gas tank the answer is easy.

[BeeJayCeee]

02:19 PM on 10/08/2011

Everything by this sanctimonious, talentless hypocrite should be banned. Give them half of your fortune, Bonio, and then maybe I'll take you seriously.

[FabulousPoodle]

03:02 PM on 10/08/2011

When members of the clergy, who have taken a vow of poverty, make the same plea, do you take them seriously?

[BeeJayCeee]

03:07 PM on 10/08/2011

No, they work for corrupt organisations that hold vast amounts of wealth.

[RGT333]

03:13 PM on 10/08/2011

I bet you aren't a U2 fan either.

[BeeJayCeee]

03:25 PM on 10/08/2011

What gave it away?

[hungryaardvark]

02:17 PM on 10/08/2011

Governments fear people doing good things without it being framed and controlled by politicians. The contrast between what the governments do vs what the good people do could create an image problem that no amount of govt propaganda can cover up.

Occupy [Every] Street may end up with a similar effect.

The whole world is watching.

[AlonzoQuijana]

01:56 PM on 10/08/2011

Bono is an insufferable hypocrite. His tax avoidance scheme -- moving his tax domicile from struggling Ireland to the wealthy, lower-tax Netherlands -- is classic. Do as I say, not do as I do.

This is up there with George Clooney (Capital One Bank spokesperson, complaining about Wall Street and Nancy Pelosi banning unions from her hotels.

[garystartswithg]

02:30 PM on 10/08/2011

and that stops you from being a better person? that is kind of sad.

[RGT333]

03:14 PM on 10/08/2011

Hmmm. So these people shouldn't do these ads then?

[marlenerein]

10:37 AM on 10/08/2011

When I was younger I truly believed what was told in the schools books, that the colonies destroyed Africa. it was all the contrary. What you see in Africa with your very eyes are always the same: the Africans destroying their nature, soil and culture for money, in wars, in tribal disagreements while China for example train the next army for the next battle, all under the control and management of another black guy who is so rich, his house is always located in Europe. His money is washed to some bank abroad. Funds that should go to help children in the continent are used to buy his next yatch. Corruption is law in United Nations. Don't believe what you read on newspapers and magazines, please!

[sillyfrog]

11:06 AM on 10/08/2011

Including Mandela and Tutu?

[Shadow Diver]

03:55 PM on 10/08/2011

I worked in Africa. Mandela and Tutu are the exception. We too witnessed despots using monies that were accepted as bribes to buy multi-million dollar villas in Switzerland. Africa is its own worst enemy.

[sabelmouse]

12:39 PM on 10/08/2011

i think you should research this more.
a. colonialism did a lot of damage to that continent and
b. we're still meddling , bribing, coercing , toppling and installing who's best for us ie, the rich and powerful [corps ] , grabbing land , exporting products that do damage. and onononon.

[marlenerein]

10:30 AM on 10/08/2011

You know what I think about the ONE organization? I am gonna tell you what I think: PURE HYPOCRISY! MILLIONS OF INNOCENTS ARE KILLED DAILY ALL AROUND THE GLOBE UNDER THE LAW OF ABORTION! why U2 care so much about the children of Africa and cannot say a word against abortion? Because with Africa they raise millions and billions which go to things more abominable: Amnesty International, the same that pay the most expensive lawyers that defend terrorists! ha ha ha... guess how so many islamic killers pay their lawyers! Surprised? you shouldn't be... these are informations that come directly from the FBI. Be careful who you love...

[hungryaardvark]

02:23 PM on 10/08/2011

Unless your birth certificate shows your birthday as being the day you were conceived, you are demanding that the world apply your personal philosophy. Why not demand that every egg be fertilized and that destruction of eggs is destruction of life? That is another philosophy without legal acceptance. Why are the words freedom and choice so fearful to anyone who has no personal involvement in the lives of the people whose difficult personal decisions are theirs and theirs alone? Why not spend more time stopping wars that kill real people with real birth certificates?

Try and change the date of your birth in any state in the union to the moment of your conception.

Let us know when you are tired of banging your head against your walls.

[Demos 0]

03:17 PM on 10/08/2011

Do you PERSONALLY (not what's legal) have any gestation limits on abortion? Is it ALWAYS a woman's choice?

20 weeks?
24?
28?
32?
36?

[Demos 0]

03:45 PM on 10/10/2011

I didn't think you would answer the questions I asked.

I answered everyone of yours. And you misread the 'last war' comment....I WROTE 'last JUST war'....that means the last war that we were justified in fighting.

Now, as you wrote to me, are you afraid to answer my questions?

Here they are again:

You contend that it is 100% the woman's choice during the pregnancy.
Then, hypothetic­ally, you would condone an abortion just 1-day prior to the due date (for purely personal reasons, not health)?
You would defend the woman's RIGHT to choose at 35 weeks?
If you were in charge you would allow an abortion at any gestation period?

Don't hide behind anything or muddy the waters, just answer each with yes or no (and expound as you see fit). Again, I answered all of your questions.

[RGT333]

03:32 PM on 10/08/2011

I am amazed that you can fit such a massive contradiction in one post. You attack abortion (which is necessarily defined by religious means) and then condemn islam (a religion).

Amnesty International is a human rights organization. Why not provide the best lawyers for the accused - no matter what the crime? If they are truly guilty, then it won't matter - they will be found guilty. If the State cannot prove its case, then the State should not have indicted the person in the first place. That is the rule of law.

To make our system of justice better, we should want ALL accused persons to have the very best lawyers - thus, we all benefit from better law, rather than cases where the State stretches the evidence and we get the wrong man. Since criminal punishment takes away a persons freedom and/or life, I do not want to live in a society where the State has an easy time of convicting people.

I hardly believe that the FBI (a Federal Organization which upholds US law) would have any problem with a criminal defendant having the best attorney possible. (The agents may not like the difficulty of their job, but I have never known a single agent who would want to wrongfully convict anyone. It goes against the oath of being an agent of any branch of law enforcement, including prosecutors' oaths. The job of agent or prosecutor should be the hardest job in our legal system. Period.)