CBS Rejects Anti-Bush Superbowl Commercial

[NoPasaran]

WASHINGTON (AdAge.com) -- Viacom's CBS today rejected a request from liberal group MoveOn to air a 30-second anti-President Bush ad during the Super Bowl, saying the spot violated the network's policy against running issue advocacy advertising

Network policy
A CBS spokesman said the decision against broadcasting the spot had nothing to do with either the Super Bowl or the ad's specific issue but was because the network has had a long-term policy not to air issue ads anywhere on the network.

A MoveOn spokesperson said the group hopes to appeal the decision within CBS
http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=39590

[Terwilliger]

1. Then I want CBS to return the taxpayer money it spends...

on the "issue advocacy" put out by the Office of National Drug-Contol Policy

FUCKING LIARS!!

[David Zephyr]

21. You Remembered and So Did I.

What complete hypocrisy.

Now, watch Karl Rove rub his filthy criminal ass in everyone's face by having another "advocacy" ad again with CBS's loving approval.

This is raw censorship.

[flamingyouth]

24. Amen, brother

I hate CBS. :grr:

I'm sure they'll be jerking off over funds from the American Family Council, and every other hate-filled group that wants to put women back in the kitchen and keep gay people off to where they can't "offend" anyone. This just pisses me off so much. Les Moonves, you can kiss my fat ass.

[american_mutt]

62. liars and cowards

each and every one of them.

[benfranklin1776]

57. Bingo.

They are discriminating based on content not adhering to a supposed policy.

[Hobarticus]

2. Told them they shoulda added cheerleaders and Kid Rock!

[slor]

3. All that money CBS has...

and they cannot afford any COURAGE!?!

[Just Me]

36. OH, YEAH,...I'M PISSED,...TIME FOR ANOTHER "ACTION CAMPAIGN",...

,...it worked to get that freak, "Savage", off the screen. Surely it can work to get "truth" on the screen!!! We flooded the sponsors with Savage. Who are the sponsors during this spot? Do a reverse flood!!!!

[nini]

4. arent' political ads 'issue' ads?

Do they not air political ads? freaking hypocrits.

but this may be good, because the publicity because of it will have a bigger impact in the end.


Time to boycott CBS? First the Reagan movie - now this?

hmmm

[NoMoreRedInk]

5. "CBS proper" doesn't sell ad time for Political ads. The political ads...

you see are sold by local CBS affiliates and local cable advertisers.

[nini]

7. ok.. .thanks....

.

[joeunderdog]

6. "the spot is critical of the Bush administration's fiscal policies."

Critical? Who says?. What if you WANT your kids to pay for the billionaire tax cut? Isn't that the point? Isn't that what the Repukes wanted? It's a victory!!!

[Just Me]

38. I WANT MY CHILD, MY FAMILY, MY NEIGHBORS TO SEE THIS AD!!!

I want to push this,...I know I/we may not succeed,...but I want to push, demand, raise hell, do whatever possible to make this ad possible.

G-Damnit,...let's just make this ad possible!!!!!

[BigDaddyLove]

40. It IS possible.....

just not during the Superbowl (so far).

[KissMyAsscroft]

8. What more proof does the American Public need..

Media concentration has gone too far.

CBS had no problem advertising Bush's anti-drug ads during last year's Superbowl.

But alas, I'm not surprised at the whoredom of the corporate media.

As of now I am no longer giving one penny to these fuckers.

I had already boycotted Cable Whore News, now I'm going to do the same to CBS.

[Lars39]

9. Boycott.

Boycott CBS and the sponsors. Write letters and tell them why. Inform the teams while you're at it. Nobody said this was going to be easy.

[Voltaire99]

43. Agreed. Boycott.

CBS isn't stupid: it won't run the ad because it fears being penalized by right wing corporate advertisers. It'll only bend if it sees there is a price to pay for its bias.

[GinaMaria]

64. Much as I love CSI

I'd boycott and let them know why.

[trogdor]

66. Easy ones (I'm guessing)

General Motors
EBay
Miller Brewing Co.
Anheuser-Busch
Dell Computer

Of course, you don't have to watch the Super Bowl to know who had ads in it. Just watch the Today show and they'll probably be talking about them on Monday after the game.

[Enraged_Ape]

10. Fantastic! Then no Bush campaign ads for CBS affiliates!

Hey, if that's the way they want to play this game, it's fine with me.

[bluestateguy]

11. Cowards

I was just starting to end my boycott because of the Reagan miniseries. Now I will have to resume it.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

13. Hey, I'm boycotting all Conservative Celebrities! PERMANENTLY!

I have better things to do than give these S.O.B's my hard earned money!

[BenFranklinUSA]

65. Would love a list of those celebrities :) --n/t--

[arcane1]

12. they better not play ONE Repube ad during the bowl

or they are gonna get some serious grief from us!!

[soleft]

14. Aren't anti drug commercials issue advocacy ads?

There's never been a don't smoke pot ad on CBS?

[Riptide]

15. Exactly! What about the "If you smoke pot, you're a terrorist" commercial.

they aired those last year (or the year before).

[kutastha]

16. oh yeah

They played it during the last Super Bowl. Where the girl smokes pot and gets pregnant.

No advocacy advertising there.... :eyes:

[trapper914]

44. Did CBS have last year's Super Bowl?

I thought they rotated between CBS and Fox (not that THEY'D take this ad either!).

[worldgonekrazy]

17. Well no, you see, because

we all know smoking pot is bad. Surely you don't want kids smoking pot do you? So that is how it is different from this ad, because I am sure you DO want your kids paying off that huge deficit. Right?

Oh damn, guess that argument fell apart on me. ;)

[Toby109]

26. Funny thing is

once the "kids" realize the huge amount of sacrifice they are going to be asked to make due to the deficit, they will have to resort to drugs to deal with it

[metisnation]

35. legalization

so we can tax the leach of our society. think of the tax revenues alone this is how we can really jumpstart the economy.

[KamaAina]

20. Remember those sappy "Life. What a beautiful choice." spots?

That the Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation :puke: put on every conceivable (har har) channel a few years ago?

You're telling me that none of those were on CBS?

[ikojo]

49. I saw those ads primarily during the 5PM and 6PM news

here in St Louis. I think those are sold to the local stations.

There ARE local spots during the Superbowl. I wonder how difficult it would be for moveon.org to buy local spots in the top ten television markets? I have seen local "Christian" organizations buy time during the Superbowl encouraging people to go to church and accept Jesus.

[worldgonekrazy]

18. EVERYONE call, email, fax, etc. and tell them they suck

It probably won't make a difference, but it might at least make them worry a bit.

And I agree with whoever said you should contact the NFL and the individual teams as well. All those organizations benefit from Superbowl viewership, so a boycott threat effects them as well.

[maxsolomon]

19. the only allowable speech is commercial speech.

and commercial speech is in itself political, because opposing commercialism is a political stance, right?

this is utterly predictable.

see adbuster's travails trying to advertise "buy nothing day". they couldn't, except on CNN.

[stewert]

22. I Agree With CBS !

I don't think they should air political ads during the super bowl. The ad should be run before
it, or after it, but not during the game. I don't want to see any political ads from anyone during
the game.

Think about this, if they did run it, just think of how many right-wing ads they would run, it
would open pandoras box. The republicans have all the money and they would just buy ads
too. Pretty soon the super bowl would be filled with political ads.

Nobody wants to see that during the game, I have no problem with them before the game,
or after the game, but not during the game.

Think about this too, if the ad is too negative it could backfire and piss off some undecided
voters. Hell they are getting $2 million dollars worth of publicity anyway because CBS
rejected it.

They even talked about it on the ESPN show around the horn today, they will probably end
up getting way more than $2 million dollars worth of publicity for it from the rejection.

The don't smoke pot ads were public service announcements put out by the government,
not paid advertising from a public group. That's a big difference.

I think the NFL and CBS should keep politics out of the super bowl. So I think they made
the right decision.

[gun_toting_liberal]

25. Bush will get time during the game

How much do you wanna bet he'll get some quality time up there in his skybox?

[jfxgillis]

29. LAUGH. You know, seconds ago I just posted

almost exactly the same idea a little further down the thread.

But upon a moment's reflection, I just realized the spot CBS is in now.

IF they give Bush time AFTER having rejected Moveon.com, then the lib/lefties and Moveon will start screaming bloody murder. Then the Righties will predictably spit back the "it's a non-partisan semi-offical American holiday rah rah rah" blah blah blah.

And that'll raise a whole 'nother stink. And CBS doesn't want a whole 'nother stink. So they'll settle it by either gently nudging Bush off the program (unlikely) or by trying to mollify the opposition by putting a Dem/lib/lefty type (Who? Bill White, the new mayor of Houston, the Super Bowl city?) into another segment or the same segment as Bush (most likely).

This might get to be reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeal fun!!

[TucsonGreen]

58. Government Propaganda vs. Political Speech

"The don't smoke pot ads were public service announcements put out by the government, not paid advertising from a public group. That's a big difference."

What?!?!?!?!? Only if you're asleep. CBS will run ads that lie to the American people by linking drugs to terrorism, but they won't run ads that link SUV ownership to terrorism, which is a much more plausible link (more gas = more money to Saudi Arabia = more Saudi terrorists).

There is NO difference. CBS is drawing a false line...it's ALL Propaganda. CBS will only run the corporate, pro-Bush propaganda, and refuses anything that challenges their dominance.

And as for not wanting to be a buzz kill...AMERICANS NEED THEIR F***ING BUZZ KILLED!!! We're happily decimating the planet, humming along in our SUVs, talking on our cell phone and sipping our Starf**ks as the world slowly sinks into the toilet. What better way than the Super Bowl to get mainstream Americans to WAKE THE F**K UP!

Sam

[JailForBush]

23. Stupid MoveOner's!

They could have offered a non-partisan ad depicting both a Republican and a Democrat as Nazis. George W. Bush and Joe Lieberman can always use the publicity.

[Dr Fate]

27. But, but, but the heroin addict told me CBS was LIBERAL!!!!

!!!!

[jfxgillis]

28. Don't bother me none ....

... As long as they keep George W. Bush just as far the hell away from NFL broadcasts as they're keeping Moveon.org. This IS an election year, after all.

Fat chance of that shit happening.

[are_we_united_yet]

30. What a surprise!

[T Bone]

31. Will CBS show McCokeSpoon* calling the winning team ?

you betcha.

[NashVegas]

32. That Spot Has No Business Running During the Super-Bowl

If MoveOn's aim was to run during the SB in the first place, then they should have chosen one of the humorous ads as their #1.

People are not watching the Superbowl to be brought down, they are watching it - and the commercials that run in it - to be entertained.

Nothing like a good "think of the children" guilt-trip to bring on a buzz-kill. "If Our Parents Were Bush" (or whatever it's called) would have been much more effective - and perhaps even welcomed and cheered - in that atmosphere.

MoveOn is being silly and preaching to the choir.

[piece sine]

33. How can I boycott CBS...

when I NEVER watch network TV in first place?!

[Occulus]

41. I thought the airwaves

were publicly owned, but corporate 'leased', through their broadcast license.

So:

When did we unknowingly sell off our airwaves?

[NashVegas]

60. For Just a Minute:

Screw the "public" airwaves.

Put on your marketing hat and ask youself, what type of reaction are Superbowl watchers likely to have upon seeing the "Child's Pay" spot? Do you really think they're going to put down their Buffalo wings and have a serious conversation about national debt during the *Super Bowl?*

Superbowl Sunday is all about crotch-grabbing fun. "Child's Pay" is neither.

[banana republican]

34. Anyone own CBS stock???

or a mutual fund invested in CBS

SELL SELL SELL SELL SELL

Tank the company

[Pale Blue Dot]

37. Anyone got an e-mail address?

for CBS?

[Born Free]

39. run ad on competitive network

Not everyone will be watching the game, many turn to other networks, run the ads there, probably reach as many people with the same amount of expense.

[The_Casual_Observer]

42. Just one more reason NOT to waste time

watching the "stupid" bowl.

[hang a left]

46. I have to apologize to my fellow on-line dissenters.

I have to watch the superbowl. The only TV I watch anymore is football (which I absolutely love) and the Simpsons. My news and other worthy information comes from the net. But I don't drink lite beer or low carb beer, and I won't buy anything from the other advertisers, I don't cross picket lines, I won't shop at Walmart, and I tell everyone I know about the BFEE. But please, I beg of you, don't ask me to not watch the Superbowl, I just can't comply.

[Polemonium]

45. Damn it

I know I shouldn't be suprised and yet I am, and suprises like this just make me sick:puke:

[KTM]

47. Which channell is doing the best half-time show ?

I mean come on - who actually stays tuned for the REAL half-time show ?? It always sucks !! Everyone I know flips over to something else.. the Victoria's Secret half-time show, the Comedy Central Half-tme Show, the NBC SNL Half-Time Show... MoveOn oughta run their ads there - they will be much cheaper, and still get plenty of eyeballs.

[Democat]

48. Liberal Media bans Move On and PETA, and won't show Reagan movie

Liberal Media.

[lostnfound]

50. Any way to find out what ads they ran during the 2000 superbowl? nt

[kclown]

51. Absolutely vital to include: we've got the money

This is not about CBS rejecting a public-service ad.  Moveon
is requesting regular commercial time, and we've got the $1.6
million.  CBS won't take it.

[bushisanidiot]

52. Pussies! nt/

n/t

[KLA2004]

53. how can they do this

?

[Muddleoftheroad]

54. Contempt of Network

In the city, the No. 1 crime you can commit is contempt of cop. If you do so, you are guaranteed to land in jail -- at best. What folks here don't seem to realize is this ad commits the similar crime of contempt of network.

The Super Bowl is the biggest commercial moment for the network season. It is all about spending money, about laughing and partying with your friends. I am unsurprised that the network doesn't want to throw a controversy into the mix that will detract from their overall message of consumerism.

[GOPBasher]

55. Cowards.

[Moderator]

56. Kick!

:kick:

[Endangered Specie]

59. So much for the liberal CBS...

But It is probably not a bad thing not blowing $2,000,000 on an ad that will be watched by a mostly stoned or stuffed audience.

[nibbana]

61. CBS Dumb Asses: Every ad advocates an issue

Beef Idustry! Fat Industry!
Farm Industry!
Sex Industry!
WTF!!!!!

[Snivi Yllom]

63. what crap

they will run the most deviant ads for bad food products and violent movies but wont run this...

[fearnobush]

67. Just sent them a few emails on media bias.

Hopefully we generate enough drain of band width to get their attention. At bottom of page see feedback link.

[teryang]

68. The Superbowl is worst football game of the year

If you like to watch football, the Superbowl is worst hyped up commercial fiasco, it's downright irritating to watch. Does anyone really watch it?

[eablair3]

69. What surprises me is that this surprises anyone here

I thought you people knew how the system worked? This doesn't surprise me one bit.

The corporate, business, and ultra-wealthy have known for a long time that to control the media is to control public opinion. Controlling public opinion is effective control of the entire population. Do you really think they are going to allow an ad to aired that is critical of their man Bush? Come on.

The best thing one can do imo is to spread the word about this as just another example of the censorship and control exercised by the ultra-weatlhy. Until a large substantial portion of the population realizes what's going on with big media, big media and those that own and control it will continue to have huge and dominating power over the whole country.

Owning the media companies is one of the weapons that they use to assert their control and power.

Do you think these guys like Sumner Redstone went out and bought these media empires (in his case, e.g., CBS, Paramount, Simon & Schuster) by accident? They know exactly what they are doing and the kind of power and control they get with it.

The common people need to realize and understand this. And, they don't. It looks like a lot of the posters on this board don't appreciate or even realize the extent of this.