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!

Viacom says our new ad is too "political"

I wish I was writing to you tonight to announce some good news, but unfortunately, that is not the case.

As you know, our newest commercial, the "ejector seat" ad, has already been rejected by ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and the WB. We have now learned that Viacom has rejected the ad as well. Apparently, they think the ad is too "political."

Viacom’s decision is particularly disturbing because they ran our first commercial, the "bouncer" ad, last year.

We had hoped that the ad would start running this week on Nick at Nite, TV Land, and LOGO, the new cable channel for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) audience. We are truly disappointed that this will not be happening, and we hope you are, too.

Personally, I am particularly alarmed that Viacom would start a cable channel specifically for an LGTB audience and then deny that audience a chance to see an ad that specifically reaches out to the LGBT community in such a positive way.

Evidently, when it comes to LOGO, they don't really mean it's the LGBT community's network, it's just a channel targeted at the LGBT community to sell a product.

As always, the networks are OK with ads filled with lust, greed and violence. But, for some reason, an ad about openness and welcome that merely says "church doors are open to all" is being silenced as too political. Political?

Churches like the United Church of Christ should be allowed to deliver positive messages that seek to build and enrich the quality of life. Please pass that message on to Viacom!

Blessings,
Bob

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

Posted by The Rev. Bob Chase
4/05/2006 10:22:00 PM
[ ]   

<< Home

---

Blog Archives:

12/01/2004 - 12/31/2004
01/01/2005 - 01/31/2005
02/01/2005 - 02/28/2005
03/01/2005 - 03/31/2005
05/01/2005 - 05/31/2005
03/01/2006 - 03/31/2006
04/01/2006 - 04/30/2006

Learn more about the UCC

Recent Posts

Sign Up!

Receive email updates about our ongoing campaign

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.