Gay couples were legally entitled to marry in England and Wales from 00:00am on Saturday 29th March 2014. The story was reported on Friday evening's Newsround bulletin (4.20pm) -
Martin Dougan: From tomorrow same-sex couples will be able to get married for the first time in England and Wales. Up until now gay couples have been able to have a civil partnership, which is similar to marriage but doesn't give all the same rights. Some religious groups say they're not happy with the changes, and will not carry out gay weddings. Scotland's also announced plans to make same-sex marriage legal too in the future, but there are no such plans in Northern Ireland.
Currently there is no later bulletin on Friday evenings. News of the first same-sex marriages was also reported on Saturday 29th March 2014 on all three bulletins. It was the second item at 8.55am -
Ricky Boleto: A big change to laws in England and Wales came in overnight. Same-sex couples are now allowed to get married. Martin has been looking into the change, which has sparked some strong views.
(recorded report)
Martin Dougan: Just after midnight these people were celebrating getting married. Up until now, two men or two women have not been allowed to marry each other. But now the law has changed. But while there were celebrations for those getting married, not everyone is happy with the change. Those against it, including many religious groups, say that marriage has been between a man and woman for hundreds of years and shouldn't be altered. Up until today same-sex couples could only have a civil partnership which gives similar rights but isn't exactly the same rights as marriage. But despite the change in the law, it will be up to the individual religious organisations to choose whether or not they want to hold ceremonies for gay people. Some, like the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church, say they will not marry gay couples. Attitudes to gay people vary across the world. Sixteen countries currently allow same-sex marriage, but in others such as Iran and Nigeria it's illegal for a man to have a relationship with a man, or a woman with a woman. Scotland has also passed a law to make gay marriage legal, but there are no plans to do the same in Northern Ireland.
Gay marriage was reported as the first story on both the midday and 2pm Saturday editions of Newsround. The midday & 2pm reports were both introduced as follows -
Ricky Boleto: First to a big change to the law in England and Wales that came in overnight. Same-sex couples are now allowed to get married. Martin has been looking into the change, which has sparked some strong views from people on both sides of the argument.
Martin's report is also on the website.
Showing posts with label marriage equality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marriage equality. Show all posts
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Tuesday, February 04, 2014
The first LGBT-relevant story on Newsround this LGBT History Month was about Scotland passing marriage equality legislation. This was how it was reported by Ayshah on the 6.55pm TV bulletin this evening-
Ayshah on Newsround - 4th February 2014 at 6.55pm
Ayshah: First, in the past few minutes Scotland's parliament has voted to allow same sex couples to marry. The final vote passed by 105 votes to 18. But religious groups will be able to opt out of marrying gay couples if they don't agree with it. Same sex marriage became legal in England and Wales in July last year, with the first marriages able to take place from next month. But in Northern Ireland there are no plans to allow it.
Ayshah: First, in the past few minutes Scotland's parliament has voted to allow same sex couples to marry. The final vote passed by 105 votes to 18. But religious groups will be able to opt out of marrying gay couples if they don't agree with it. Same sex marriage became legal in England and Wales in July last year, with the first marriages able to take place from next month. But in Northern Ireland there are no plans to allow it.
Tuesday, September 03, 2013
BBC seeking families to take part in Marrying Mum and Dad (Series 3)
CBBC is looking for families to get involved in series 3 of Marrying Mum and Dad
CBBC - Get Involved
Applications to take part must be in by the end of September - that's about four months earlier than the deadlines in previous years. At the time of writing it's still not clear whether the BBC is interested in hearing from families who might want to take advantage of the new marriage equality legislation.
Applications to take part must be in by the end of September - that's about four months earlier than the deadlines in previous years. At the time of writing it's still not clear whether the BBC is interested in hearing from families who might want to take advantage of the new marriage equality legislation.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013
BBC news and current affairs programmes, including Newsround, are a bit flaky when it comes to fair reporting of certain stories.
One such story, affecting the future rights of numerous CBBC viewers went unreported on Newsround: namely the news that lesbian and gay couples have now gained the unquestioned right to get married in England and Wales. The legislation was granted Royal Assent yesterday and is now known as the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act. The first marriages under this Act are expected to take place early next year.
One such story, affecting the future rights of numerous CBBC viewers went unreported on Newsround: namely the news that lesbian and gay couples have now gained the unquestioned right to get married in England and Wales. The legislation was granted Royal Assent yesterday and is now known as the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act. The first marriages under this Act are expected to take place early next year.
Thursday, June 06, 2013
The House of Lords voted on same-sex marriage on Tuesday evening. Ricky Boleto reported on the vote for yesterday's Newsround bulletins at 4.25pm and 6.50pm.
This was how the Lords vote was reported at 4.25pm -
Ricky: Next, to an issue that's divided politicians and people across the country - the question of whether two men or two women should be able to marry each other. Last night the House of Lords voted 'Yes' to plans to change the law in England and Wales, meaning that same-sex marriage is closer to becoming a reality. - (followed by pre-recorded video)
With 'gay' being heard all too frequently in schools as a term of abuse, it was good to see Ricky use the word in a somewhat more affirmative way during his carefully balanced report for Newsround.
This was how the Lords vote was reported at 4.25pm -
Ricky: Next, to an issue that's divided politicians and people across the country - the question of whether two men or two women should be able to marry each other. Last night the House of Lords voted 'Yes' to plans to change the law in England and Wales, meaning that same-sex marriage is closer to becoming a reality. - (followed by pre-recorded video)
With 'gay' being heard all too frequently in schools as a term of abuse, it was good to see Ricky use the word in a somewhat more affirmative way during his carefully balanced report for Newsround.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Newsround Blog may well, at some future date, look at BBC news reporting in the lead-up to the House of Commons marriage equality votes on 20th May. For now though, here is a short excerpt from the Prime Minister's live interview, this morning, on Radio 4's Today programme.
James Naughtie: ... You said at the time of your election as leader in 2005 in Blackpool that (this is a quote) We have to change and modernise our culture and attitudes and identity. When I say change, I'm not talking about some slick re-branding exercise. (You're nodding, you remember this) What I'm talking about is fundamental change .. Now, for many people in your party, absolutely determined to stick to their convictions - they're just not willing to go with you there.
David Cameron: Well I don't accept that. I think the Conservative Party has made some enormous changes since I became leader in 2005. We've changed the party. We had 19 women MPs. We now have over 50. We're a party that campaigns on poverty, justice, the environment, as well as the economy and Europe. We've championed and argued about the importance of international aid. To argue that the Conservative Party hasn't changed, I think, is just not right.
James Naughtie: But you know that a lot of your MPs, and a lot of people - activists and so on - party members who tramp the streets in your interest, who say listen, same-sex marriage was not in the manifesto. We didn't know it was coming along. He's just charging on. He's surrounded by a metropolitan clique who don't know what we think. And now you're saying to them there's more on the way.
David Cameron: No, I'm not saying that. I think, you know, the same sex marriage issue, I think it's important. Every country across the world is having to address this. In New Zealand the centre-right government has just legalised gay marriage. Eleven states, I think there are twelve states in the US have done the same thing. I think it's important that we have this degree of equality. And I say that as someone who's a massive supporter of marriage. I think marriage is a wonderful institution. It helps people to commit to each other. I think it's such a good institution that it should be available to gay people as well as to heterosexuals.
James Naughtie: Are you relaxed about the fact that most of your MPs don't agree with you on that?
David Cameron: Well the fact is that this is a free vote issue, that parliaments have to determine. Our House of Commons has just determined that. And I think we should think about it like this: that there will be, you know, young boys [and girls*] in schools today who are gay, who are worried about being bullied, who are worried about what society thinks of them, who can see that the highest parliament in the land has said that their love is worth the same as anyone else's love, and that we believe in equality. And I think that they'll stand that bit taller today, and I'm proud of the fact that that has happened. ...
* Downing Street clarification
James Naughtie: ... You said at the time of your election as leader in 2005 in Blackpool that (this is a quote) We have to change and modernise our culture and attitudes and identity. When I say change, I'm not talking about some slick re-branding exercise. (You're nodding, you remember this) What I'm talking about is fundamental change .. Now, for many people in your party, absolutely determined to stick to their convictions - they're just not willing to go with you there.
David Cameron: Well I don't accept that. I think the Conservative Party has made some enormous changes since I became leader in 2005. We've changed the party. We had 19 women MPs. We now have over 50. We're a party that campaigns on poverty, justice, the environment, as well as the economy and Europe. We've championed and argued about the importance of international aid. To argue that the Conservative Party hasn't changed, I think, is just not right.
James Naughtie: But you know that a lot of your MPs, and a lot of people - activists and so on - party members who tramp the streets in your interest, who say listen, same-sex marriage was not in the manifesto. We didn't know it was coming along. He's just charging on. He's surrounded by a metropolitan clique who don't know what we think. And now you're saying to them there's more on the way.
David Cameron: No, I'm not saying that. I think, you know, the same sex marriage issue, I think it's important. Every country across the world is having to address this. In New Zealand the centre-right government has just legalised gay marriage. Eleven states, I think there are twelve states in the US have done the same thing. I think it's important that we have this degree of equality. And I say that as someone who's a massive supporter of marriage. I think marriage is a wonderful institution. It helps people to commit to each other. I think it's such a good institution that it should be available to gay people as well as to heterosexuals.
James Naughtie: Are you relaxed about the fact that most of your MPs don't agree with you on that?
David Cameron: Well the fact is that this is a free vote issue, that parliaments have to determine. Our House of Commons has just determined that. And I think we should think about it like this: that there will be, you know, young boys [and girls*] in schools today who are gay, who are worried about being bullied, who are worried about what society thinks of them, who can see that the highest parliament in the land has said that their love is worth the same as anyone else's love, and that we believe in equality. And I think that they'll stand that bit taller today, and I'm proud of the fact that that has happened. ...
* Downing Street clarification
Monday, January 07, 2013
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Free speech and censorship
When 9-year-old Martha Payne was told she could no longer take photographs of school dinners for her Never Seconds blog, it didnt't take long for people to sit up and take notice. What right did Argyll and Bute Council have to ban Martha from just taking a few photos at lunch time?
Within hours the Council relented and Martha was told that she could, after all, take the pictures needed for her blog.
A similar free speech U-turn took place in America last week after 10-year-old Kameron Slade won a competition in his class. As a winner Kameron was entitled to make a speech to the whole school, but when the school found out that he intended to present a speech in favour of marriage equality, the principal made clear that Kameron needed to either change the topic or be removed from the contest.
As with Martha Payne, there was a backlash against the ban, and as a result the authorities have said Kameron will, after all, be allowed to speak on his topic of choice. He will deliver his speech on marriage equality at a school assembly tomorrow.
Whereas the school dinner blog U-turn was reported by Newsround on Friday afternoon's TV bulletins, I think it's a very safe bet that there won't be a report about the other U-turn any time soon. Kids who watch CBBC might suspect that their news and entertainment programmes are being unreasonably censored by BBC bosses. So for the benefit of kids in the UK, this is what Kameron will say to his school:
When 9-year-old Martha Payne was told she could no longer take photographs of school dinners for her Never Seconds blog, it didnt't take long for people to sit up and take notice. What right did Argyll and Bute Council have to ban Martha from just taking a few photos at lunch time?
Within hours the Council relented and Martha was told that she could, after all, take the pictures needed for her blog.
A similar free speech U-turn took place in America last week after 10-year-old Kameron Slade won a competition in his class. As a winner Kameron was entitled to make a speech to the whole school, but when the school found out that he intended to present a speech in favour of marriage equality, the principal made clear that Kameron needed to either change the topic or be removed from the contest.
As with Martha Payne, there was a backlash against the ban, and as a result the authorities have said Kameron will, after all, be allowed to speak on his topic of choice. He will deliver his speech on marriage equality at a school assembly tomorrow.
Whereas the school dinner blog U-turn was reported by Newsround on Friday afternoon's TV bulletins, I think it's a very safe bet that there won't be a report about the other U-turn any time soon. Kids who watch CBBC might suspect that their news and entertainment programmes are being unreasonably censored by BBC bosses. So for the benefit of kids in the UK, this is what Kameron will say to his school:
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