Unlike Oliver, I don’t think that CBS refusing to air the MoveOn.Org commercial during the SuperBowl is a sign of the decline of Democracy. Here are CBS’s reasons:
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.
If that is their policy, fine. What I do not understand, and where I agree with Oliver wholeheartedly, is how the government is able to air their hideous anti-drug agit-prop (like they did last year). How is that any different from what MoveOn.Org wants to air (and having some media experience I know what a Public Service Announcement is- it is a government sponsored issue ad).
*** Update ***
As was pointed out by Dimmy in the comments, last year the drug ads were on ABC, and not CBS.
Jeff
This is why anarchists (and other liberal scum) continue to read you. Good man.
HH
Any station or network can have a policy to air whatever the hell they want, period. “Decline of democracy,” my ass.
caleb
Well, we’ll see if CBS follows FOX’s lead from last year allowing gov. issue ads like the anti drug campaign.
If they do, quite the hypocirsy.
Dimmy Karras
The anti-drug ads during last year’s Super Bowl were aired on ABC, which apparently has no policy against issue ads like that of CBS.
anon
The Drug Policy ads are going on CBS this year.
Gary Utter
Don Sensing has a perfectly good explanation of this on his blog today.
Ricky
Stupid as the anti-drug commercials may be, drugs are still illegal. Last time I checked, and contrary to Oliver’s wishes (joke), Republicans aren’t illegal.
Someone let me know when those folks are upset at those “truth” anti-smoking commercials.
OW’s been on a tabloid blogging roll, lately. :)
Hipocrite
Don’t you fret yourself over the ABC/CBS ONDCP add problem:
adage.com/news.cms?newsId=39561
The ONDCP is back this year, and already approved.
mark
Are the “Trurh” ads considered issue ads or public service announcements – or some sort of combination of the two? I thought that the money to fund those ads was coming from the tobacco settlement – or at least the group doing them is getting $$ from the settlement…
Big Aaron
I like the drug commercial. The girl in it is hot! Yowza, Yowza!!!
Ricky
Mark, they could easily say that the drug ads are public service announcements, as well.
Ksec
But they have no problem pushing alcoholism and the thousands of lives lost because of drunk drivers . They act like conservative scum who push tobacco on to children while thumping their bibles.
Phil
and having some media experience I know what a Public Service Announcement is- it is a government sponsored issue ad
Just to clarify, PSAs can be contributed by any nonprofit/charity organization, not just the government. Except for those contributed by major nonprofits like the Red Cross and the United Way (who also buy advertising as well), most of them get scheduled during the “public service programming” on Sunday mornings.
jack
How is it different?
For a sitting government to put out a PSA that says, in effect, ‘commiting crimes is bad’
and a partisan organisation to air an anti-Bush election ad?
Easy. The latter is an ad dealing with election ixsues. The former isn’t.
Simple, really.