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!

March 29, 2006

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Just what are the “Christians” saying in the news these days?
Posted by The Rev. Bob Chase, 3/29/2006 05:43:00 PM

Last December, do you remember when 115 mainline religious leaders and church members were arrested in Washington, D.C., during a last-ditch effort to draw attention to then-proposed cuts to the Federal Budget that would affect millions of low-income Americans?

Of course you don’t remember. The major news networks didn’t cover it.

In February, during the World Council of Churches’ 9th international assembly in Brazil, do you recall when several mainline U.S. church leaders apologized to Christians around the world for not doing more to prevent the start of the U.S. war in Iraq?

Of course you don’t remember. The major news networks didn’t cover it.

And, last month, do you remember when a delegation of mainline religious leaders gathered in Washington, D.C., to demand an end to government attempts to curtail church-oriented travel to Cuba?

Of course you don’t remember. The major news networks didn’t cover it.

Or what about last week, when the mainline churches’ Church World Service, a broadly ecumenical humanitarian relief organization, called on the U.S. Senate to adopt a ‘compassionate’ immigration reform policy?

Of course, you don’t remember. The major news networks didn’t cover it, either.

Yet … two days ago, when the Religious Right leader Jerry Falwell chided a Minnesota city for allegedly evicting the Easter Bunny, Associated Press covered it.

And, also in March, when the Religious Right leader Pat Robertson called Muslims “satanic,” Newsweek covered it.

And, in New Orleans, despite the millions raised by mainline denominations and the hundreds, if not thousands, of organized work camps deployed to support rebuilding efforts, it was the Religious Right leader Franklin Graham who appeared on CNN’s Larry King Live (twice!) to talk about his ministry there, along with the Religious Right organization Campus Crusades for Christ, profiled on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 last week.

It’s time to “amplify the mainline,” and reclaim the mainstream voices in this nation’s newsworthy religious conversations.

Blessings,

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

Permanent Link  [ ]

March 28, 2006

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New Ad Campaign Prompts Action and Attracts Attention
Posted by The Rev. Bob Chase, 3/28/2006 11:46:00 AM

We have already generated just over 1,900 email letters to ABC since the campaign launched yesterday. Thanks to everyone who has taken action!

We have also had some great coverage of our new campaign. In addition to a story in the New York Times by Stuart Elliot, a number of bloggers have already posted some stories. I have posted a few below.

Pastor Dan

In what will probably be the second-most controversial segment to the new GISS [God is Still Speaking] campaign after the "Ejector" ad itself (more on that presently), the UCC announced today that it has teamed up with Media Matters to fight the pronounced tilt toward the Religious Right in mainstream media news.

Chuck Currie

The United Church of Christ is unveiling our new television commercial this morning at a press conference in Cleveland.

"Ejector seat" is a funny commercial that will resonate with many who feel that typical church life leaves them out.

The national television networks have banned the ad claiming that the spot is issue advertising. It will run on cable.

Ad Rants

Continuing its "God is Still Speaking" Campaign, the United Church of Christ
(congregational) has launched a continuation of its campaign with a spot called
Rejected that highlights the church's open acceptance of all lifestyles. This
campaign also calls attention to the Church's dissatisfaction with ABC for
rejecting its past ads and the network's seeming bias towards right-wing
religious leaders such as Jerry Falwell, James Dobson and Pat Robertson and its
exclusion of mainline religious voices.

Line from a blog in Norway...

Wow. Atrios just linked to a banned United Church of Christ ad thatactually made this old atheist smile. Religion can be a very good thing. Too bad it hardly ever is.

See more of the coverage here:

• St. Petersburg Times


• Boston Herald


• Religion News Service (per Beliefnet)


• The Advocate


• 365gay.com


• Resonate


• AdPunch


• Phoenix's News


• Hughes for America


• Political Cortex


• Daily Kos


• LiveJournal


• Rainbow Wind


• Crooks and Liars


• Hits and Misses


• Jesus Politics


• Good as you (satire)


• Prophecy Boy


• The Green Knight


• moldybluecheesecurds


• xenophile


• CephasWorld


• Perfect Neglect


• Sexuality and Religion


• Notes in Samsura

Permanent Link  [ ]

March 27, 2006

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A Message to the Networks: Stop Playing Favorites
Posted by The Rev. Bob Chase, 3/27/2006 09:52:00 AM

It has been a while since we’ve posted to this blog. But, the television networks still think that the United Church of Christ’s message of inclusion is so controversial that they won't even take our money to run a paid advertisement about it.

Just today, we released a new television commercial, which has already been rejected by ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and the WB.

We now know that it’s not just the about the commercials. Ask yourself this question: When was the last time you saw a mainline progressive religious leader on a news program?

A recent study completed by Media Matters concludes what we have long known to be true: the networks favor the Relgious Right.

In this particular study, an analysis of guests on Sunday Morning talk shows revealed a pronounced bias in the percentage of conservative pundits versus progressives. In fact, the report shows that the networks frequently allow these shows to be used to attacks progressives and their ideas.

Why do James Dobson, Franklin Graham, Al Moehler, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell warrant seemingly endless coverage when ministries of the United Church of Christ, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, among others, rarely receive a single mention?

Networks can't play favorites. Mainline religious communities like the UCC have a right to be heard along with everyone else. So, starting today, we are reaching out to all of you once again and asking for your help to demand equal access to the air waves from the networks.

Blessings,

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

Permanent Link  [ ]

March 25, 2006

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Web site critical of UCC gives false impression of new ad
Posted by The Rev. Bob Chase, 3/25/2006 05:31:00 PM

Last week, a website known for its negative critiques of the UCC published a description of our new TV ad, a full week before the planned release of the publicly at today’s press conference.

On March 20, ucctruths.com, which said it possessed a copy of the UCC’s new ad, posted a description of the commercial, along with critical comments and an unflattering still-image "video grab" which gave a false impression of the tone of the commercial especially its treatment of persons with disabilities.

In an email to the site operators on March 20, Stillspeaking Coordinator Ron Buford appealed to the site to not publish the ad until the scheduled release date.

“We have only given the ad to people who have promised to keep it within the UCC until the press conference,” Buford wrote. “Whoever released this to you has borne false witness, either directly or by omission. I do not believe you want to proceed with material you have received in this way.”

Thankfully, on Tuesday morning, James Hutchins of ucctruths.com responded to Buford, saying that it had no plans to run the ad in its entirety at this time.

The ucctruths.com Web site is long-known to lambaste UCC leaders, including the occasional use of unflattering photos. A recent post critical of General Minister and President John H. Thomas’ March 7 lecture at Gettysburg College includes an unrelated image of Thomas with his eyes closed, appearing to be asleep.


Blessings,

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

Permanent Link  [ ]

Tell ABC to Open its Sunday Talk Show to Mainline Church Leaders
Posted by The Rev. Bob Chase, 3/25/2006 04:46:00 PM

Over the years, Religious Right political leaders like Jerry Falwell, James Dobson and Pat Robertson have appeared on ABC’s This Week at the exclusion of other mainline religious voices.

Over last eight years, individuals like Jerry Falwell, Richard Neuhaus, James Dobson, Gary Bauer and Pat Robertson have appeared on the program. In fact, James Dobson and Gary Bauer have appeared three times each and Pat Robertson has appeared seven times.

But, in the same time period, leaders of the United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), American Baptist Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, African Methodist Episcopal Church, Disciples of Christ and African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, among others, have NEVER appeared. Why?

It is time to tell ABC to stop catering to the Religious Right. Tell ABC This Week to open its program to mainline religious leaders.

TAKE ACTION NOW


Blessings,

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

Permanent Link  [ ]

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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.