NBC Refuses To Run Ad Thanking The Troops

Ken McCracken • December 8, 2007

NBC said it declined to air the ad because it refers to the group’s Web site, which the network said was too political, not because of the ad’s message…
Alan Wurtzel, NBC’s head of standards and practices, said the network decided not to run the Freedom’s Watch ad because the group insisted that the spot contain the URL address of its Web site.
The Freedom’s Watch Web home page contains links for visitors to demonstrate their support for the troops. It also contains a welcoming message that states: “For too long, conservatives have lacked a permanent political presence to do battle with the radical special interests groups and their left-wing allies in government.”
“We have a policy that prohibits acceptance of advertising that deals with issues of public controversy,” Wurtzel said. “This particular ad, in and of itself, is fine. It thanks the troops for their action overseas. We asked them to eliminate a URL address where a person is asked to contact elected officials and told not to cut and run on the war on terror.”

Here’s the ad:

The “too political” claim seems pretty far-fetched to me, even if they’re talking about the content at Freedom Watch’s URL. And besides, the war isn’t the sort of “controversy” that you’d think media outlets would want to avoid. Accusing Hillary of being a lesbian? Accusing Mitt Romney of being a polygamist? Those things are controversial.
The war? Sure there’s a lot of debate about it, but that’s something Americans live with every day. As long as NBC doesn’t show favoritism to one side or the other of the issue, what’s the problem?

Tags: Domestic Issues, Media, Politics, War On Terror

http://Array Bat One

As long as NBC doesn’t show favoritism to one side or the other of the issue, what’s the problem?

Problem is, by showing the ad NBC would be demonstrating a lack of favoritism… and its just a little bit late for that.
http://ewebsmith.com/ ews48

Hard to believe that these people turned down money.

Some one must have paid them more not to run it.
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/author/Anna/ Anna

press release
I guess this is just another reason why I don’t watch TV
8-/
pparets

Running an ad thanking the troops at Christmas time just might stimulate ordinary people to think about bravery and courage in the face of danger, which would require foks to ponder just what danger they face. Once the danger is defined in people’s minds, then it follows that we would see Al Queda and radical Islam as dangerous. That would lead to a public perception that the war is just and necessary. Even worse, people might think about Christmas. No doubt about it, NBC is doing the right thing.
jakethedog

But what if it was an ad that said something like….

“Help stop Bush’s illegal war! Go to moveon.org and sign the petition to bring our troops home”.

I wonder if that would make it to air?

One can only speculate.
Bat One

Maybe they didn’t run the ad because it was nothing more than a commercial for Freedom’s Watch.org?

Todd,

Not to ruin your weekend, but isn’t an “ad” the very same thing as a “commercial”?
Todd Meriweather

Maybe they didn’t run the ad because it was nothing more than a commercial for Freedom’s Watch.org? If Freedom’s Watch just wanted to thank the troops why not just do that not beg people to come to this site and donate money?

SayAnythingBlog.com

NBC Refuses To Run Ad Thanking The Troops

Create a SAB Readerblog

Recent Comments