UCC's bouncer ad bounced by CBS, NBC
The United Church of Christ is up in arms about the rejection of a 0:30 spot advertising an "all-inclusive welcome" to the church. Although both networks turned it down because it was deemed too controversial, it is scheduled to air on numerous basic cable channels.
The ad depicts bouncers at the door of a church of no specific denomination. The bouncers allow many to enter, but turn away several individuals which are either members of minority groups or who seem to be gay or lesbian. The ad says that the UCC accepts all people, regardless of ability, age, race, economic circumstance or sexual orientation.
UCC's Rev. John Thomas said, "It's ironic that after a political season awash in commercials based on fear and deception by both parties seen on all the major networks, an ad with a message of welcome and inclusion would be deemed too controversial. What's going on here?"
UCC quoted CBS's explanation of the turndown: "Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other minority groups by other individuals and organizations and the fact that the Executive Branch has recently proposed a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, this spot is unacceptable for broadcast on the [CBS and UPN] networks."
Basic cable channels which are running the ad include ABC Family, AMC, BET, Discovery, Fox, Hallmark, History, Nick@Nite, TBS, TNT, Travel and TV Land. It will run on other channels as well.
Another UCC Reverend, Robert Chase, said, "We find it disturbing that the networks in question seem to have no problem exploiting gay persons through mindless comedies or titillating dramas, but when it comes to a church's loving welcome of committed gay couples, that's where they draw the line."
Ex-FCC Commissioner and current UCC exec Gloria Tristani also weighed in, saying, "The consolidation of TV network ownership into the hands of a few executives today puts freedom of speech and freedom of religious expression in jeopardy. By refusing to air the [UCC's] paid commercial, CBS and NBC are stifling religious expression. They are denying the communities they serve a suitable access to differing ideas and expressions."
RBR observation:
Excuse us, but how does consolidation come into play here? The basic cable channels which are carrying the UCC ads include quite a few that are owned by Viacom and NBC Universal, who also own the two broadcast networks which rejected them. If there were some heavy-handed suppression of free speech going on at the corporate level, the ads would have been turned down across-the-board.
Are you reading this from a forwarded email?
