You could not make this crap up

[Johnmelad]

Pigs won’t fly in textbooks: OUP tells authors not to mention pork

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jan/14/pigs-textbooks-oup-authors-pork-guidelines

 

[conny]

The world has gone mad!

 

[Micilin]

IIs not not just knowing your market and I'm not sure why people think this is so shocking.

What would be outrageous is if the books for our UK market were censored like this - eg no more 'Three Little Pigs' but commercially thsi kind of thing is done all the time, such as tailoring advertising for different countries.

 

[Brigadier]

IIs not not just knowing your market and I'm not sure why people think this is so shocking.

What would be outrageous is if the books for our UK market were censored like this - eg no more 'Three Little Pigs' but commercially thsi kind of thing is done all the time, such as tailoring advertising for different countries.

If kids are only going to be taught such a sanitised and selective version of the "world", why bother with a book at all? In fact, don't look out of the window - it's not important. Everything you need to know, is right here, in this room.
Hardly the way to develop well-rounded and knowledgeable individuals, with a grasp of other cultures, is it?

 

[Micilin]

IIs not not just knowing your market and I'm not sure why people think this is so shocking.

What would be outrageous is if the books for our UK market were censored like this - eg no more 'Three Little Pigs' but commercially thsi kind of thing is done all the time, such as tailoring advertising for different countries.

If kids are only going to be taught such a sanitised and selective version of the "world", why bother with a book at all? In fact, don't look out of the window - it's not important. Everything you need to know, is right here, in this room.
Hardly the way to develop well-rounded and knowledgeable individuals, with a grasp of other cultures, is it?

Not at all, but we are hardly likely to see an Atlas with 'Las Malvinas' in WH Smith any time soon, or a book with a recipe for Roast Horse !

My point is on the commercial side of this - are we really surprised that companies tailor products to their target audience? Does their obligation to shareholders include educating other peoples?

And there is a difference between omitting something like a reference to a pork sausage and omitting the state of Israel from a map.

I'm not saying it is right to change material in this way , I'm just surprised that people are surprised that it's done

 

[honda]

I find it's best not to read stuff like this as in a sane world it's just total nonsense. Absolute bullsh**.

 

[Micilin]

Maybe I'm just an old cynic.

 

[big-all]

all they are saying is to give you maximum coverage to sell round the world
they have the choice to not alter anything so not that big a deal

 

[wkdhd]

I see no problem, it makes perfect sense to tailor your product to the market you are selling into.
For instance, Rolls Royce were going to name a new car the Silver Mist until they found that mist is german for manure. They could have told the germans to get over it, the name is fine in the UK, but as they actually wanted to sell cars there they didn't.
There are thousands of examples of this. According to my daughter Indian McDonalds are yummy, but designed to match the Indian diet.
Books are no different, they are a product. I am sure there is a long list of books that nobody would attempt to sell in the southern states of the USA.

 

[Whitespirit66]

What would be outrageous is if the books for our UK market were censored like this - eg no more 'Three Little Pigs' but commercially thsi kind of thing is done all the time, such as tailoring advertising for different countries.

Are they not? I'm imagining that 'Ba Ba Black Sheep' doesn't appear in any childrens' nursery rhymes book.

I can see why publishers, etc would choose to omit cetain references for certain overseas markets.

 

[Micilin]

What would be outrageous is if the books for our UK market were censored like this - eg no more 'Three Little Pigs' but commercially thsi kind of thing is done all the time, such as tailoring advertising for different countries.

Are they not? I'm imagining that 'Ba Ba Black Sheep' doesn't appear in any childrens' nursery rhymes book.

I can see why publishers, etc would choose to omit cetain references for certain overseas markets.

No need to imagine, a quick search will allay your worries.

There are any amount of books/cds/resources available in the UK if you want a 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' rhyme in print or song.

http://www.waterstones.com/watersto...mes/6541452/?gclid=CO6hmP2MlMMCFeKWtAodbnAAKA

 

[Brigadier]

IIs not not just knowing your market and I'm not sure why people think this is so shocking.

What would be outrageous is if the books for our UK market were censored like this - eg no more 'Three Little Pigs' but commercially thsi kind of thing is done all the time, such as tailoring advertising for different countries.

If kids are only going to be taught such a sanitised and selective version of the "world", why bother with a book at all? In fact, don't look out of the window - it's not important. Everything you need to know, is right here, in this room.
Hardly the way to develop well-rounded and knowledgeable individuals, with a grasp of other cultures, is it?

Not at all, but we are hardly likely to see an Atlas with 'Las Malvinas' in WH Smith any time soon, or a book with a recipe for Roast Horse !

My point is on the commercial side of this - are we really surprised that companies tailor products to their target audience? Does their obligation to shareholders include educating other peoples?

And there is a difference between omitting something like a reference to a pork sausage and omitting the state of Israel from a map.

I'm not saying it is right to change material in this way , I'm just surprised that people are surprised that it's done

Fair point, but these are reported to be textbooks, and are therefore by definition intended to be educational.

 

[wkdhd]

delete

 

[jockscott]

If the article hadn't mentioned pork then none of you would have been in the slightest bothered. You pretend, like in the Paris thread it is something to do with free speech or something, but actually it is just more right wing anti-Islam rubbish.

Is it just more right wing anti-Islam rubbish though? Who ordered the ban on pork being mentioned in book? Who decided to remove Israel from a map? If these reports are true, you tell me why such a ban was ordered in the first place? Who were they trying to placate? Oh yes that's right, they were trying to placate a certain religion (and guess what it wasn't Christianity)

 

[Whitespirit66]

Noticeable in the Paris thread that the little bunch of kippers who are banging on about free speech are abusing anyone who doesn't agree with their viewpoint. Being kippers or worse they fail to spot the irony

So people on the right politically, and usually in the right when it comes to ridiculing this religion, are the only ones to dole out abuse? You ought to read the abuse posted by your troll mate.

And you're the one bringing the peace religion into the argument.