A radio advertisement for Hot Press, which has run on a number of independent stations in Ireland, has been banned by RTE.

The ad features a reference to the new Hot Press sex column, in which the writer Anne Sexton discusses masturbation. However, according to the publishers, RTE objected to the use of the word 'masturbation' in the ad, on the basis that it is "likely to cause offence."

In contrast, the ad has been run on Today FM and FM 104, among other independent stations.

"I think RTE's decision is absurd," Hot Press editor Niall Stokes commented. "What is it about sex issues, or words that relate to sexuality, that frightens people so much? You could advertise a story about a grisly murder without anyone batting an eyelid, but they see the word 'masturbation' and the shutters go down. It's crazy.

"One of the reasons we introduced a sex column to Hot Press," he added, "was to challenge the inhibitions, and the culture of censorship, that still surround issues relating to sex in Ireland – and the need to do that is fully borne out by this kind of prudishness. But it is good to see that the independent stations here have not bought into this outmoded view of sex."

To download the advertisement in question, click on the following links:

Quicktime

Windows Media Player