Money can't buy controversial advertising, apparently.

[Fash]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1

WASHINGTON (AP) - NBC has rejected a TV ad by Freedom's Watch, a conservative group that supports administration policy in Iraq, that asks viewers to remember and thank U.S. troops during the holiday season.

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.

"Anybody in the world who would look at this ad would come away with nothing other than we should thankful for their service," Freedom's Watch president Brad Blakeman said.

The spot was to be part of a seven-figure campaign that includes newspaper ads and television commercials. The ads are to run on CNN and Fox News Channel and are running in various newspapers. The New York Times ran a full-page Freedom's Watch ad Friday that said "Thank You!" and depicted a soldier reading a letter. The newspaper ad also contained the Web site address.

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."

NBC rejected a previous Freedom's Watch ad that addressed funding for the troops.

"It's a long-term policy, it goes back decades," Wurtzel said of NBC's stance of declining controversial issue advertising.

He suggested that Freedom's Watch did not alter the ad in order to force NBC to reject it and thus get media attention.

"Candidly, some folks have found that you get more attention when an ad is not accepted," he said.

Blakeman acknowledged that Freedom's Watch wants viewers of the ad to visit its Web site and said NBC's actions amounted to censorship.

Freedom's Watch has emerged as one of the best financed independent conservative groups in this election cycle.

I doubt seriously that they wanted it to be rejected but I'm sure they aren't heartbroken over it.

It's my belief that the number of people who would go to the website after watching the commercial is far less than 1%, so considering the positive content of the commercial, I think they should air it.

Fear not, you can still advertise all the alcohol, anti-depressants, and erectile dysfunction drugs.

[Ashur]

I don't understand, does NBC also reject ad's from Moveon.org? If they do, then there is no issue here.

[Fash]

I don't understand, does NBC also reject ad's from Moveon.org? If they do, then there is no issue here.

I don't know, have they?...

Does moveon.org create positive impact commercials thanking people for the work they do? If they do, then there is no issue here.

There's not much to understand, it's just interesting because of the content of the commercial. It's not a 'general betrayus' style hit-job, it's simply thanking the soldiers for their sacrifice and patriotism.

I don't see how anything in the Ad is controversial, nor do I see how the website linked in the Ad having a 'dont cut and run' section qualifies this for censorship.

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

I don't understand, does NBC also reject ad's from Moveon.org? If they do, then there is no issue here.

I don't know, have they?...

Does moveon.org create positive impact commercials thanking people for the work they do? If they do, then there is no issue here.

.

No they don't create positive impact commercials....they are the good ones in all of this....they concentrate on the negative.

[Boogahz]

I remember CBS banning a moveon.org commercial set to air during the Superbowl a few years back due to it being an "issue piece."

[Aslanna]

I don't see how anything in the Ad is controversial, nor do I see how the website linked in the Ad having a 'dont cut and run' section qualifies this for censorship.

"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."

It's their sandbox and if they don't want you playing in it they can kick you out. And NBC had a policy already in place so it's not like they made something up for this particular sponsor. According to them they had no problem with the ad itself and didn't deem in controvsial. They just didn't care for the URL.

I don't see the big deal or anything really that makes this newsworthy.

[Nick]

No they don't create positive impact commercials....they are the good ones in all of this....they concentrate on the negative.

Maybe they should start referencing your posts then.

[Fash]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0116-01.htm

Liberal group Moveon.org, known for its Internet funding power, told members this week that it hoped to have the first political Super Bowl ad.

But its hopes were dashed when CBS said the spot, which asks "Guess who's going to pay off President Bush's $1 trillion deficit?" was an issue piece and could not run.

In a letter, CBS told PETA that it would not run advertisements on "controversial issues of public importance."

CBS spokesman Dana McClintock said the policy had been in place for years. "We have a policy against accepting advocacy advertising," he added. CBS, a unit of Viacom Inc., does run political advertising for and against candidates.

CBS came under criticism in November when it decided not to run a two-part made-for-television movie, "The Reagans," after conservatives complained that it was unflattering to former president Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy.

PETA spokeswoman Lange said that CBS's broadcast of anti-smoking advertisements and even hamburger chain spots were controversial, advocacy pieces, as well.

"In essence, CBS is saying we will air an advocacy ad if we agree with the viewpoint," she said.

The PETA ad shows two scantily clad women snuggling up to a meat-eating pizza delivery man. "Meat can cause impotence," the screen reads after the rendezvous fails.

Just for comparison sake, the banned moveon ad was an attack piece plain and simple... there is no cuddly positive side to it. It's a bunch of children doing adult jobs, with the punchline Guess who's going to be paying Bush's trillion dollar deficit. It's a fabulous piece of satire, but it definitely is controversial.

It's their sandbox and if they don't want you playing in it they can kick you out. And NBC had a policy already in place so it's not like they made something up for this particular sponsor. According to them they had no problem with the ad itself and didn't deem in controvsial. They just didn't care for the URL.

I realize the first amendment doesn't play here, it just makes me think. If media can pick and choose which paid advertisements they will run and continues to merge and monopolize, they're gaining even more control outside of their own industry. Actually, if they have the cash flow to be choosy they can do it now.

I'd support a free market for advertising backed by the first amendment that was available to anyone who could afford the price. Then the moveon's, the freedoms watch, peta and everyone else could get in on the game... even individuals.

[Siji]

Fuck "Freedom Watch". Seriously. Everytime I see one of their bullshit fucking advertisements I want to shoot someone.

[Zaelath]

No they don't create positive impact commercials....they are the good ones in all of this....they concentrate on the negative.

I'll come over, wash your car, mow your lawn, make you dinner, and fuck your wife, every weekend.

Which part are you going to going to concentrate on?

[Fash]

NBC reversed course Saturday and decided to air a conservative group's television ad thanking U.S. troops.

The ad, by the group Freedom's Watch, asks viewers to remember the troops during the holiday season. NBC had refused to air the ad because it guides viewers to the Freedom's Watch Web site, which NBC said was too political.

But in a statement issued Saturday evening, NBC said:

"We have reviewed and changed our ad standards guidelines and made the decision that our policy will apply to content only and not to a referenced Web site. Based on these amended standards the Freedom's Watch ad will begin to run as early as Sunday."

[Lynxe]

PETA spokeswoman Lange said that CBS's broadcast of anti-smoking advertisements and even hamburger chain spots were controversial, advocacy pieces, as well.

The fact that this reformed carnivore even tried to compare controversial animal slaughtering ads to an anti-smoking campain just blows my mind. I stand in awe of the human beings ability to get so wrapped up in a cause that they loose sight of their humanity.