You may remember that five years ago, CBS (and several other networks) rejected several ads from the United Church of Christ whose message was that Jesus accepted everyone - including LGBT individuals. The Boston Globe cited a letter from CBS to the UCC:
In the letter from the CBS official to the United Church of Christ, the network said it refuses advertising that "touches on and/or takes a position on one side of a current controversial issue of public importance."
This was the ad that CBS rejected:
Yeah... real controversial, right?
Now CBS will be airing - during the Super Bowl, the most prominent television advertising event of the year - an ad from Focus on the Family featuring Florida Gators QB Tim Tebow and promoting an anti-abortion message.
Yeah, nothing controversial about that at all. An anti-abortion ad from a right-wing political/religious group certainly doesn't "touch on and/or take a position on one side of a current controversial issue of public importance."
Thus, the rational reader is left to conclude one of two things: either (a) CBS doesn't consider an anti-abortion ad from a right-wing political/religious group to be sufficiently controversial, or (b) they've changed their policy on controversial ads.
We need to demand accountability from CBS: Either reject Focus on the Family's ad under their "controversial ad" policy, or give the United Church of Christ an equal opportunity to air their ad during the Super Bowl. This hypocrisy - where an ad taking a right-wing position on perhaps the most controversial issue of our time is accepted, while an ad hinting at a liberal position on an issue of less controversy is rejected - shouldn't be allowed to stand.
Here's what you can do:*
- Send feedback to CBS Sports and CBS TV demanding that they reject FOTF's ad or accept the UCC's.
- Join our Facebook group and encourage friends to join and take action.
- Tell your friends and family to join the Facebook group as well. We need this to go viral.
Together, we can make a difference. It's time for CBS to be consistent with their policy.
Appendix: Here's a good sample letter to write to CBS. Feel free to copy/paste it.
Five years ago, you rejected an ad from the United Churches of Christ, deeming that their message - that the church would accept all people including LGBT individuals - was too controversial. A Boston Globe story about your rejection of the ad in 2004 cites a CBS spokesman, Dana McClintock, who made reference to "a longstanding policy of not accepting advocacy advertising."
Now, the news comes out that you will be airing an ad during the Super Bowl from Focus on the Family - a group that firmly stands against a woman's right to choose - featuring Tim Tebow and carrying a distinctly anti-abortion message. This is pretty clearly an advocacy advertisement.
Therefore, I must ask you: Has your policy on advocacy advertising changed? If not, how is a commercial about a topic that's clearly a matter of public controversy, the question of a woman's right to choose, not considered advocacy advertising while an ad telling people that they'll be accepted at church somehow is? If your policy has changed, will you be notifying the United Churches of Christ and offering them the opportunity to run their ad during the Super Bowl?
Appendix II: Some Clarification
I'm not a member of the United Church of Christ, nor do I speak for them. (I'm an Episcopalian.) As far as I know, they're not involved in this movement, and they aren't using any church resources to try to get their ad aired. This movement is entirely grassroots. I just want them to be offered the same opportunity that Focus on the Family has - to get their message out.
* Please donate for Haiti and make calls for Martha Coakley first.