Radio Times promotes homopobic group’s CDs

We have discovered that the Radio Times is giving away CDs of the Narnia books, which have been produced in association with Focus on the Family.

Focus in the Family are a notorious antigay group in the United States (similar to the Christian Institute here) who fund antigay initiatives and produce homophobic propaganda like A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality.

Radio Times are running a promotion where they give away a free Narnia CDs on the cover. The programmes – produced by the FOTF – will also be broadcast on BBC Radio 7 on Boxing Day.

From the BBC Radio 7 newsletter:

The Chronicles of Narnia will be broadcast on BBC7 from 8am to 8pm and will include dramatisations of the following books: The Magician's Nephew, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, The Horse and His Boy and Prince Caspian. David Suchet is the voice of Aslan and Paul Schofield is the narrator. It's a marvellous listen for Boxing Day.

Radio Times and the BBC are probably not aware of the extreme antigay campaigning of Focus on the Family. We suggest that you write to radio.times@bbc.co.uk and let them know.

Lesbian and Gay people and their humanist allies are also being urded to stay away from the new Hollywood blockbuster – Narnia. The Media Transparency agency reports that it was funded by right-wing evangelicals. In particular conservative media billionaire Philip Anschutz stands to make millions of dollars from the movie (which they hope will become a franchise to rival Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter). Much of this money could end up funding anti-gay initiatives.

Most atheists and humanists already know that the Narnia series is thinly disguised Christian propaganda. Some might be willing to overlook this because it is still regarded as good story-telling. But we cannot overlook that the profits from this series may end up funding Focus on the Family and other right-wing groups who campaign against gay rights.

Don’t let a portion of your ticket end up funding initiatives like this or this.

When you write to the BBC to complain, be sure to provide them with the links to FOTF’s bigoted and malicious antigay propaganda.