Viacom says “no” to Dems but “yes” to boobs…

[KansDem]

This is in reference to http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x387469#387832

My post is no. 15

Later in the day, I received this email from my wife…

“KansDem” - Look at LBN in DU for the post about VIACOM and the political billboard that they refused to put up. I decided to call the local VIACOM office to see if they are the ones responsible for the "boob billboards" that we saw. They are. The woman I spoke to was very defensive. I kept asking her who was responsible for the decision to put up this ad, but NOT the one mentioned in DU. She said that they have certain criteria, which I also repeatedly asked for. She never gave me the criteria, but I finally found out that she, as well as others, were responsible for the decision for the boob ads. She started to give me the number for the corporate office that is responsible for the decision on the one mentioned in DU. She said that that one is in litigation, and the lawyers wouldn't be able to talk to me anyway, so then she wouldn't give me the corporate number. (As if I can't get it elsewhere.) She also wouldn't give me her name. She asked where I found out about the one mentioned on DU, and I told her on the internet. I told her that I thought that the ad that VIACOM would not put up told the truth. She said that that was my opinion. She kept trying to compare this to what I see on tv or read in the newspaper. I explained that not only do I not watch tv nor read the newspaper, and that this is but one of many examples as to why I do not, but that it is not the same thing and why. She stated that it was my decision to not watch tv and read the paper. I agreed; stating, however, that it was also NOT my decision to see the ad on my way to work, but that I saw it none-the-less. I asked her how we were supposed to explain this to <our daughter> if she should see it, and that, as a woman, did it not offend her. She said that it did not offend her, and she compared it to her taking her daughter to Oceans of Fun in the summer where the same thing is "shoved down her daughter's face!" I disagreed, stating that her daughter was seeing women swimming, naturally, in bathing suits, not women's breasts on a billboard for all to see while driving down the highway on their way to work. She asked if I had not seen billboards advertising strip clubs around town. I explained that I hadn't, but perhaps it is because I don't frequent those parts of town. She also said that mine was the first complaint that she had had, and that she certainly was not going to take the ads down because I had complained. The conversation ended when she asked where I had seen the ad, and after I told her the location, she said that it is not their ad. Apparently there are two other companies in town that also put up billboards, and the one I saw was put up by one of them. I expained that you had seen one on your way to work and that it also offended you, and that perhaps that one might be theirs, but she suggested that I call one of the other companies, which I plan to do after lunch.

Thought that you might like to post this on DU, since they know you there. <??? Don't know what she meant by this!>

<a coworker> just gave me an article that says that the radio station hasn't received any calls of complaint about their billboards. Not only do I not believe that, but I will give them one. She saw it on the Channel 9 internet site. Perhaps you might want to find out which company put up the billboard you saw, and call them, as well as the 99.7 radio station. The names of the other two companies are Lamar and Waitte (maybe only 1` "t".)

So Dems are out but boobs are in. It's the GOP way!

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. Yay!! Boobs!

[salin]

2. First hand reporting... I love it when "we" become the media.

Thanks for sharing the story - wonder if others in the area have seen the billboards as well...

[ParanoidPat]

3. Try searching under VIACOM OUTDOOR.....

.....And you will find this. http://www.tdiworldwide.com/

From there you can get to here... http://www.viacomoutdoor.com/media_item.php?itemId=32

However once there the 'contact' link gets you a 'not found' error.
Looks like they don't care to hear from us! I'll keep looking. :)

OOPS, spoke too soon. Here's their Sales Contact list for Kansas City, MO. from this page. http://www.viacomoutdoor.com/market.php?marketId=52

Howard Fowler
Sales Manager
2459 Summit Street,
Kansas City, MO 64108
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Tracy Holmes
General Manager
2459 Summit Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Doug Williams
National Sales Manager - Malls
1731 Workman Street
Los Angeles, CA 90031
Tel: [phone]
Fax:
[e-mail]

Michael Belli
Lease Representative - Mall Division
2502 N. Black Canyon Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85009
Tel: [phone]
Fax:
[e-mail]

Hope this helps! :evilgrin:

[KansDem]

4. Thanks!

:hi:

[ParanoidPat]

5. No problem! Here's something else.....

.....I found this article in The Kansas City Star about a lawsuit against them.

From the article.....

Posted on Wed, Jan. 21, 2004

Local firms sue billboard giant

By DAN MARGOLIES The Kansas City Star

Three local billboard operators have filed a civil racketeering suit against the world's largest billboard firm, accusing it of stealing desirable locations found by the plaintiffs for itself.

Craig Outdoor Advertising Inc., Midwest Outdoor Media LLC and Curtis Massood say Viacom Outdoor Inc. erected its own billboards on sites that were identified by the plaintiffs and should have been leased to them.

The 43-page lawsuit, filed in federal court in Kansas City, charges top Viacom Outdoor officials with attempted bribery and witness intimidation, and seeks unspecified actual and punitive damages under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

<snip>

Attempts to obtain comments on Tuesday from officials of Viacom Outdoor, which is based in Phoenix, were unsuccessful.

The suit names as defendants, in addition to Viacom Outdoor, its chairman and chief executive, Wally Kelly; its Atlanta-based director of real estate/acquisitions, Randall F. Romig; its former Kansas City office manager, Randy Jackson of Houston; and its New York-based senior vice president of land lease, Harold Gustin.

Gee, and they seemed like such nice young men! :evilgrin:

On Edit: Bingo!

Wally Kelly
Chairman & CEO
2502 N. Black Canyon Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85009
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Dave Wood
Regional VP
2505 N. Black Canyon Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85009
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

John (JC) Clements
VP Real Estate/Acquisitions
2505 N. Black Canyon Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85009
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Tom Wisz
VP General Admin. & HR
2502 N. Black Canyon Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85009
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Bruce Brenneman
Director of Real Estate - West
2502 N. Black Canyon Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85009
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Brent Wood
Regional Sales Manager
2505 N. Black Canyon Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85009
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Doug Williams
National Sales Manager - Malls
1731 Workman Street
Los Angeles, CA 90031
Tel: [phone]
Fax:
[e-mail]

Michael Belli
Lease Representative - Mall Division
2502 N. Black Canyon Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85009
Tel: [phone]
Fax:
[e-mail]

Marty Schwarzkopf
General Manager
2502 N. Black Canyon Hwy.
Phoenix, AZ 85009
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

[Hammie]

6. Yes to boobs?

Man, if they really said that I'm going to be watching a lot more Viacom!


Edited to add:

Holy cow! I went to the Viacom home page. They are huge! CBS, MTV, Infinity, BET, Showtime, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Gotta get braced for mammary overload.