MANILA, Philippines - After a wave of online outrage over its March 2012 cover, men's magazine FHM has announced its recall, citing sensitivity.
In a statement released today, the Summit Media publication responded to criticisms of racism by saying its editorial board had reexamined the controversial cover.
A photo of the cover was uploaded to the magazine's Facebook page last Saturday, February 25, showing a fair-skinned Bela Padilla in a bright pink bikini standing against a background of 5 black women in dark bikinis.
The copy beneath the photo reads "Bela Padilla: Stepping out of the shadows."
After "a slew of comments on the supposed 'racism' of the cover image and cover line flooded the magazine page," FHM announced the cover
will not be available in print.
It is not yet confirmed if this is the first time the magazine has issued a recall, although Summit said the issue is yet to be printed in full.
The magazine's editor-in-chief Alan Madrilejos could not be reached for comment.
"When FHM hits the stands in March it will have a different cover. We deem this to be the most prudent move in the light of the confusion over the previous cover execution."
The magazine is the country's top-selling men's magazine.
Below is the FHM statement in full.
"On Saturday, February 25, we uploaded the March issue with Bela Padilla on the cover on our Facebook page. Just hours later, a slew of
comments on the supposed "racism" of the cover image and cover line flooded the magazine page, prompting the editorial team to re-examine
the cover so that we could put into context its execution and assuage the concerns of our readers and non-readers as well who've weighed in
on the issue.
"We took all the points into consideration and have decided to take the side of sensitivity.
"When FHM hits the stands in March it will have a different cover. We deem this to be the most prudent move in the light of the confusion
over the previous cover execution.
"We apologize and thank those who have raised their points. We apologize to Bela Padilla for any distress this may have caused her.
In our pursuit to come up with edgier covers, we will strive to be more sensitive next time."
Credits to: http://www.rappler.com/entertainment/1848-fhm-recalls-bela-padilla-issue
>>well, it's a good thing people notice a possible racial issue on this cover. it will be a bigger issue if this isn't reviewed soon.
sino si bela padilla? anak ni robin padilla ?
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ReplyDeleteyes it's a good thing that people can distinguish a possible moral issue in every thing that came out from television-to social networking site to magazine covers. This serves as a lesson to the people all over the world that creating a fierce cover doesn't mean that we need to be insensitive. But if you're going to ask me I didn't see anything that I myself can consider to be racist, I don't see in the photo any foul action that can degrade the blacks, to the tag line that says "stepping out of the shadows" since I knew that Bella Padilla came from the PADILLA CLAN who is a well-known clan in the show business I get what the tag line meant that she wants to made her own name and is stepping out of the shadow of her surname. I guess this was just a miss understanding.. but I guess it's better to be safe. :D
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