I'm sure most Wellingtonistas would agree that Aro Video is the best video hire place in town, so when our subscriber newsletter included the heading "We interrupt our regular program for this important announcement..." we couldn't ignore it, and in fact we felt it was our duty to pass on this important message:

CAMPAIGN FOR CENSORSHIP REFORM

We are spearheading a campaign for censorship reform and are calling upon the support of our valued customers and the wider film-loving public.

We believe that the current legislation is seriously outdated and unfairly disadvantages the medium of DVD. As such, it has severely impacted on what titles can be made available for rent, sale or trade within New Zealand.

The main reason for this are the 'prohibitive' costs of classification fees, and particularly the criteria for which titles are subjected to the costly examination process. For example, it would cost over $2200 to classify the highly acclaimed original BBC mini-series of "State of Play" (the Hollywood remake of which is currently playing in cinemas).

This campaign is not "anti-censorship" but we insist that the current levels of regulation are no longer appropriate for today's media and cultural environment. We simply would like to be able to provide you with a greater range of quality entertainment, and help eliminate the ridiculous double-standards that currently prevail.

For more information, please visit our online forum at www.lumiere.net.nz/censorship-reform, where you can also register your support, comments and suggestions.

Also, if you know of others that would be interested in this cause, please pass on this e-mail or the forum address, or spread the word by Facebook/Twitter, etc.

A serious "show of hands" will make a difference, so don't be shy! Thank you for your support.

Kind regards,

Andrew Armitage
proprietor
AroVideo Online