Random House New Zealand today welcomed the decision by the
Chief Censor Office of Film and Literature classification to allow the
continued unrestricted publication of global best seller Fifty Shades of
Grey.
Karen Ferns, MD Random House New Zealand, said it was a
victory for common sense and freedom of expression.
She said: "To have restricted publication would have
put New Zealand out of step with comparable democratic countries such as the
UK, Australia, Canada and the United States. Books with similar levels of
explicit sexual content have been available for years.”
"This is a victory for common sense and freedom of
expression and I am delighted that the OFLC has recognised that Fifty Shades
of Grey is firmly embedded in popular culture and has decided to let it
remain freely available."
Karen added: "Whilst Fifty Shades of Grey
has allowed women to speak about sex in a socially permissible way it is, first
and foremost, a love story. It has touched a nerve shared by millions of
people, speaking to them about a range of issues that affect their lives."
"Fifty Shades is a hugely popular publishing
phenomenon which is being discussed in media and around water coolers across
the world. It is also empowering people - particularly women - to talk frankly
and think creatively about sex."
Footnote:
Combined sales of the physical and eBook in New Zealand have been over 350,000 copies
and 40 million have been sold in (English language editions) around the world.
The Fifty Shades trilogy has been
available in New Zealand since April 2012
In New Zealand, Fifty Shades of Grey has
been on the international fiction bestseller list for 20 weeks, including 16
weeks at number one.
20,000 readers voted the Fifty Shades trilogy as
Number 5 in Whitcoulls' Top 100 list for 2012/13.
More than 2,000 readers are reportedly on
Auckland Library's waiting list for the books
No comments:
Post a Comment