CBS, NBC and ABC Refuse To Air Fahrenheit 9/11 Ads
:: Cindi posted about this on her site. If you’re still not convinced that US Media are in Dubya’s pocket, read about the Big Three networks refusing to air ads for the Fahrenheit 9/11 DVD during “news programming”, because of the closeness of the release of the DVD to the US federal election. From the article in LA Weekly:
ON ANY GIVEN DAY, the major TV networks rarely demonstrate good judgment, much less morality, when it comes to accepting a litany of nauseating advertisements. Hemorrhoid creams. Vaginal ointments. Erectile dysfunction. Army recruiting ads that portray war as a gee-whiz video game. KFC’s claim that fried chicken is the new health food. And, lest we forget, Bud Light’s farting horse during the Super Bowl.
But ads for the October 5 release of the new Fahrenheit 9/11 DVD?
Now that makes Big Media gag.
L.A. Weekly has learned that CBS, NBC and ABC all refused Fahrenheit 9/11 DVD advertising during any of the networks’ news programming. Executives at Sony Pictures, the distributor of the movie for the home-entertainment market, were stunned. And even more shocked when the three networks explained why.
“They said explicitly they were reluctant because of the closeness of the release to the election. All three networks said no,” one Sony insider explains. “It was certainly a judgment that Sony disagrees with and is in the process of protesting.”
Amazing. Fair and balanced? You bet! Not.
September 30th, 2004 at 06:56
Hi Randy:
It’s pretty scary how weaselly the networks are being in this election. I am still fightfully amazed that Congress can quietly pass bringing back the draft for boys and girls in June 2005 and cancelling 40,000 retirements of the National Guard without a peep from the mainstream media. I just keep flashing back to Vietnam and draft dodgers (American refugees in Canada). How much do you bet it won’t be mentioned in the debate tonight?
Cheers,
Stephen
September 30th, 2004 at 10:39
If I were younger, I’d be asking the two of you for a bunk. In WWII, men as old as 37 were drafted (or am I misremembering?); I may still ask you for that bunk if we get FOUR MORE YEARS of W.
Stephen, the two things you mention above weren’t even on NPR. As usual, Canadians know much more about the US than I do; at least we all know why.
October 8th, 2004 at 06:27
Yay. Congress defeated the bill to reinstate the draft on the second round. I guess this just isn’t the sort of thing you can pass quietly in an election year. I wouldn’t bet that won’t come back though!
Stephen
October 11th, 2004 at 15:39
I wonder, is this what Stephen meant, above?