3a: Class and social values | 3 Opponents of the liberal society, 1951-79

• School teacher/ devout Christian
• Clean Up TV - corruption of modern life/ un-Christian ideas to youth
• Rapid popularity - many agreed
• 1st meeting - >70 coaches to Birmingham Town Hall, criticism aimed at the BBC
• More polarising than supporters - condemned sexual nature/ drinking/ criticism of the monarchy/ crime and lawlessness
• TV/ consumerism eroded faith in God/ tasked to bring back the UK to Christian roots.

·        C. 1965 - National Viewers and Listeners Association.

·        Campaigners - general public/ CoE bishops/ chief police officers/ MPs

·        Opposed sex/violence/swearing on TV -> 'creeping socialism'/'Marxist, humanist'/'consumerist'

·        Dismissed by the public as absurd - still >100,000 members - 'moral decline' fears widespread

·        Membership mostly in localities (Midlands/northwest/Yorkshire/northeast/Scotland/Wales/Northern Ireland) - suspicious/discusted by London/'swinging sixties'/promiscuity/****

·        Limited impact - exaggerated membership/ never taken seriously by media

·        Influenced banning of child **** (Protection of Children Act 78)/ indecent ads (Indecent Displays Act 81) 

·        Banning of '***********' film 76.

·        Successful blasphemy trial against Gay News for heretical Christ poem.

• Moral conservatist figure - Malcolm Muggeridge (born again Christian) w/ Whitehouse/Cliff Richard/Lord Longford (Lab cabinet member/ Catholic - called for **** censorship )/Peter and Janet Hill (Christian missionaries)
• Prevent TV sexualisation/promote Christianity
• Nationwide events - lighting of beacons on hilltops - >100,000 people
• Little impact on TV content/public attitudes - overt evangelicalism alienated secularised supporters.