Accessible Airwaves

Once again, the United Church of Christ's inclusion-themed, 30-second TV commercial has been rejected by the broadcast networks and now cable network, Viacom.

The United Church of Christ's all-inclusive message has been deemed "too controversial."

It’s time for equal access.

1. Let Your Voice Be Heard - Send a Message to Viacom Viacom accepts ads laced with sexual innuendo, greed, violence, and the politics of personal destruction, while our message of openness and welcome is not allowed. Tell Viacom to make the airwaves accessible. 2. Tell Your Friends Broadcasters who use the public airwaves have a responsibility to operate in the public interest. Spread the word about our campaign!

Thank You – Have you been accepted?

Last week, in response to charges by some groups that our ad was “dishonest,” I took our case directly to you and asked if there were some among you who had experienced rejection from the institutional church. I have been overwhelmed, and deeply moved, by your responses and by the courage you demonstrated in sharing your experiences. Thank you for your bravery and for the forthright expressions you wrote.

To update where we stand with our ad campaign: the “Night Club” ad continues to run on cable networks and Fox through this evening. Then, beginning tomorrow and continuing until Christmas Day, we will run our “Steeple” ad, which will air even on CBS and NBC. Network executives cleared this ad for broadcast, despite the fact that it contains the same message of extravagant welcome as “Night Club.” Go figure.

Since we intend to run the Night Club ad on network television in future seasons, the effort to secure approval from CBS and NBC will continue. We believe the FCC has a critical role in this, and so we will challenge them with renewed vigor in the New Year. Our next scheduled ad buy is in February, not too much time to change the network executives’ minds. Your continued help in this struggle is essential.

Christmas is now upon us and there seems an appropriate pause in many of our schedules. For Christians, Christmas is a time of hope and in that spirit, I make another request: would you be willing to share those times when you have felt accepted, affirmed and uplifted by your faith community? We’ve heard the difficult news, but like our commercial itself, the ominous music ultimately changes, the smiles appear on a magnificent mosaic of the human family. Hope abounds. Share with us those moments of profound joy you have experienced—whatever you faith tradition—so that others may also be inspired.

Once again, thank you for your courage and support.

Blessings in this season,

The Rev. Bob Chase
Director of Communication
United Church of Christ

Please click on the comments link below to post your own story of acceptance.

To see the new ad please visit: http://www.stillspeaking.com/default.htm

To see the ad schedule - http://www.stillspeaking.com/news/adschedule.html

Your continued help in letting others know about this campaign is always appreciated as are donations for our campaign.

Posted by The Rev. Bob Chase
12/21/2004 11:10:00 AM
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About OC Inc.

The Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, Inc. is the media advocacy arm of the United Church of Christ, a mainline Protestant denomination of over 1.3 million members. The United Church of Christ was the first voice to demand that broadcasters who use the public airwaves have a responsibility to operate in the public interest. In the 1960s, the United Church of Christ earned its place in U.S. broadcasting history by successfully challenging the license of WLBT-TV in Jackson, Miss, for refusing to broadcast news and information about African Americans.