Media refuses to air ads arbitrarily (daily KOS) IT IS TIME PEOPLE

[In Truth We Trust]

Here is the link and a part of the story:http://www.dailykos.com/



ABC busted
by kos
Thu May 5th, 2005 at 06:31:16 PDT

ABC, on why it won't take advertising from the United Church of Christ:
"The network doesn't take advertising from religious groups. It's a long-standing policy," said Susan Sewell, an ABC spokeswoman, in a Religion News Service story on Wednesday.
But they aired an ad by James Dobson's Focus on the Family. And for the unitiated, this is their mission statement:
To cooperate with the Holy Spirit in disseminating the Gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible, and, specifically, to accomplish that objective by helping to preserve traditional values and the institution of the family.
ABC, NBC, and CBS refused to air this ad from the UCC. NBC and CBS claimed it was "too controversial" because it says "Jesus didn't turn people away". Tolerance of gays and ethnic and racial minorities is really, really controversial with the bigoted set.
ABC said it had a blanket prohibition of all ads from religious organizations. Unless, it seems, they are run by conservatives.

[barbaraann]

1. I saw a Dobson ad on Dr. Phil.

It really upset me.

[AndyTiedye]

2. They Figure The Theocracy Will Get Their Audience Back In Front of the TV

They would LOVE to have the kind of compliant audience that the TV evangelists do.
There is also the question of:

[Dinger]

3. This Is Legal??

[DrDebug]

4. Since it's a private company they can refuse any ad they don't like

Just like you can refuse to watch them.

It's just that their choice in what they find objectable and what not is a bit strange. Churches calling for tolerance are nowadays objectable...

[truebrit71]

5. True....but WE own the airwaves....

..it is time for action....

[Toots]

13. Don't you wish that were true????

Republicans are in control not the people. we don't own anything Republicans do.......We are living under a fascist regime and the sooner people wake up to that fact the better for all mankind.

[dcfirefighter]

14. Absolutely correct

And we should charge full rental value for them

[Dinger]

6. Organized Boycott Anyone?

Who are their sponsors?
A B C = All Bullshit Company

[magellan]

7. No clue who their sponsors are, we never watch ABC

And I mean NEVER. I can't think of a thing ABC airs that we're interested in seeing. We'll gladly boycott their sponsors over this if someone can come up with a list.

[Dinger]

8. We Don't Watch Too Much Either, Just WantTo Cause Tehm

economic pain

[magellan]

10. Speaking of pain

Good Lord, I just cast about the net in hopes of finding a ready-made, up to date list of ABC's sponsors and chanced upon FR hell. It was a thread from just after 9/11, when ABC's newspeople were told to stop wearing flag pins. Oh the teeth-gnashing by the freeps! Liberal media this, Clinton and communism that. The goose-stepping supremacists were having a conniption. There may have been a sponsor list in there somewhere but it would 1) be too old, and 2) raise my blood pressure too high to find it.

We could start by emailing/writing/calling ABC: [e-mail]

ABC, Inc.
500 S. Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-4551

Phone number: [phone]

Let 'em know you're displeased with their religious intolerance and suggest that their sponsors will be hearing about it if they don't mend their un-Constitutional ways.

[cestpaspossible]

11. If they won't serve the public we can refuse to license the airwaves

to them. No, they are not simply a private business that can do whatever they like unaccountable to the public.

I ALREADY DON'T WATCH THEM but I still have a stake in who they use the public trust that was granted to them via their broadcast licenses. I don't read elementary school textbooks but I still have a vested interest in what's in them.

[okieinpain]

9. you know it's funny, but I just realized that except for monday night

football, I'm not watching them either

[magellan]

12. Here's my letter

Dear Sir or Madam,

It has come to my attention that ABC has refused to air a commercial for the United Church of Christ. An ABC spokeswoman, Susan Sewell, explained: "The network doesn't take advertising from religious groups. It's a long-standing policy."

If this is true, then why has ABC aired a Focus on the Family ad? In case you weren't aware, Focus on the Family's mission statement is:

"To cooperate with the Holy Spirit in disseminating the Gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible, and, specifically, to accomplish that objective by helping to preserve traditional values and the institution of the family."

I'm sure you at ABC are familiar with this country's long tradition of religious liberty. It can be traced back to our inception, when several disparate groups of worshipers arrived on these shores, some to escape religious persecution in England. It has served us well. Indeed, a great number of Americans would not be here now if this nation had at any time denied entry to immigrants on the basis of their religious beliefs. So I find it quite remarkable that a company whose name includes the word "American" would blatantly shut out advertising for one church while letting another sneak in the back door.

ABC is of course a private company, so you may do as you please. However, you do bear a certain responsibility to your viewing public to comport yourself in a fair and unbiased manner, and if you fail in that -- as you have certainly failed in this matter -- you can expect action from those of us who honor the traditional American values of respect, equality and freedom.

I urge you to either agree to broadcast the United Church of Christ ad, or stop running the Focus on Family ad. A level playing field is all I ask, one without religious favoritism. Otherwise my family (which extends to England), neighbors and friends - including all those I know online (and I mix with large circles) - are prepared to mount a boycott of your sponsors.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely...

Dang, I love lecturing, don't I? ;) You all are my largest 'circle'. Think we can get 60,000 DUers to back the threat of boycott?