CBS REJECTS ANTI-BUSH SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL

Ad Age ^ | January 15, 2004 | Ira Teinowitz

[Prodigal Son]

WASHINGTON (AdAge.com) -- Viacom's CBS today rejected a request from liberal group MoveOn to air a 30-second anti-President Bush ad during the Super Bowl, saying the spot violated the network's policy against running issue advocacy advertising.

Network policy A CBS spokesman said the decision against broadcasting the spot had nothing to do with either the Super Bowl or the ad's specific issue but was because the network has had a long-term policy not to air issue ads anywhere on the network.

A MoveOn spokesperson said the group hopes to appeal the decision within CBS.

Produced as a personal project by Charlie Fisher, creative director of the Copenhagen, Denmark, office of Publicis Groupe ad agency Leo Burnett, the spot is critical of the Bush administration's fiscal policies.

Anti-Bush contest MoveOn is airing a 60-second version the commercial, which was selected through a contest calling for anti-Bush ads, in advance of President Bush's State of the Union address Jan. 20. The group has purchased $300,000 worth of air time on Time Warner's CNN that starts Jan. 17 and runs through Jan. 21.

[dpwiener]

[Produced as a personal project by Charlie Fisher, creative director of the Copenhagen, Denmark, office of Publicis Groupe ad agency Leo Burnett, the spot is critical of the Bush administration's fiscal policies.]

I think something needs to be done about foreign investment in US politics, even if through US based "front groups".

In reading over MoveOn.org's press release, I noticed that it identified Charlie Fisher as a Denver resident (and a former Republican) who is currently on an assignment in Denmark. So the ad itself was produced by a U.S. citizen.

[The Raven]

Didn't we have some sort of campaign finance reform?

[demkicker]

I don't think CBS has the juevos to run the ad, much as they might like to see GWB trashed during the super bowl.

You're right, just like they didn't have the huevos to air their movie distortion of the Reagans. CBS has learned the hard way that conservatives will come down on them like an avalanche when they support those who trade in blatant lies. The moveon.org "commercial" will only hurt the left wing wallets. Even a punch drunk boxer can figure out that the leftwing has gone off the deep end with their exhilarating hatred of our President and the bashing of all things Bush.

[jagrmeister]

MoveOn is a "hate group" that demonizes those who it disagress with as Hitler. If any network has standards, they will not subject their audience to their tasteless charades. On a related note, I really do think we need to investigate Soros and hit him with a few insider trading charges to create scandal in the Democratic party going into 2004. The SEC/Justice Dept. should get to work now.

[weegee]

Produced as a personal project by Charlie Fisher, creative director of the Copenhagen, Denmark, office of Publicis Groupe ad agency Leo Burnett, the spot is critical of the Bush administration's fiscal policies.

Again I ask, can foreign agencies produce election ads for America?

-I know that foreign nationals cannot legally vote in American elections (although they do).

-I know that foreign nationals cannot legally contribute money to campaigns (although they do and Move On was even caught soliciting such funds).

Can a foreign company produce an advertisement and "contribute" that to a PAC?

Paging McCain-Feingold!

[Steve Eisenberg]

Even the liberal CBS can't stomach moveon.org?

No, they are afraid that if they take moveon, they also have to take pro-life and anti-gay-marriage ads. Really it isn't ideological so much as not wanting the kind of advertisers who might inspire opponents of the ads to boycott programs.

[weegee]

Such an ad would be polarizing. Many people to gather and watch the Super Bowl; sometimes with friends and friends of friends, sometimes with extended family, and sometimes with total strangers at a bar with a big screen.

If CBS ran this ad it might be counter productive as conservative viewers shouted BS in unison.

Also if CBS let this stand then they would be faced with the prospect of airing political ads during similar programming. It would make it difficult for them to refuse to air NRA, pro-life, etc. ads without showing their bias.

[Revolting cat!]

Well stated, weegee! Let me add to that that CBS , like all businesses, looks for repeat customers. Coca Cola and Anheuser Busch are ones. The MoveOn hippies? Foggetaboutit!

[RayChuang88]

I got news for these idiots, too. After the beating Les Moonves has taken from conservatives, he wouldn't get near this garbage with a ten foot pole.

After that horrid PR fiasco that was The Reagans, I think CBS wouldn't be dumb enough to p*** off the extremely publicity-conscious NFL, its Sports division and every advertiser on the Super Bowl telecast. The specter of a huge consumer boycott over CBS allowing that MoveOn.org ad to run (e.g., CBS could have faced massive monetary losses on the highest-rated program of the television season) was good reason why CBS rejected this TV ad.

[weegee]

I think it is better to support genuine PACS rather than turn FR into an advocacy group. As FR exists, it is a forum that is permitted to use articles from different news sources. I don't know how that might be jeopardized if FR changed it's methods.

[Mixer]

A MoveOn spokesperson said the group hopes to appeal the decision within CBS.

They said no. They don't have to entertain your appeal. This isn't the court of a Clinton appointee you are trying to persuade.

MOVE ON already

[Sloth]

the network has had a long-term policy not to air issue ads anywhere on the network.

If I read this right, they've canceled Dan Rather, too.

[baseballfanjm]

Sit out the Super Bowl because of the halftime show?

[baseballfanjm]

Well, it seems better for the network if the Colts beat my Pats, as the public wants to see a high-scoring game, which'd be far more likely with the Colts. Go Pats! (Offense brings fans, defense wins games!)

[fatal]

I have a feeling if they show the ad,half of the audience will tune to something else.

[Terridan]

bump!

[jeskibuff]

If they don't get to air during the Super Bowl, they will actually have more money to air it more times on other nights. Soros pledged his entire fortune if he really believed it would get Bush out of office.

I agree. I'd like them to air it. I think it WOULD be polarizing and it would not only offend sensible people, but drain a big chunk of Moveon's warchest. I genuinely hope Soros drains his accounts too! Just think of it! Rich idiots get poorer and the influx of millions into the economy just makes Bush's economy look even better! "A fool and his money..."

[bootless]

(sigh)

Well, Boomer is probably feeling nostalgic for his Connecticut News Network days (I was in CT news at the same time, in the late 70s). Lieberman was pretty prominent in CT politics then.

I still think he coulda done better. He is the least worst of the dwarves, however. The rest of the dwarves think he's a right-wing nut.

[bootless]

Oops! Wrong thread. (Emily Litella mode ON) Nevermind.

[dpwiener]

MoveOn is a "hate group" that demonizes those who it disagress with as Hitler. ... On a related note, I really do think we need to investigate Soros and hit him with a few insider trading charges to create scandal in the Democratic party going into 2004. The SEC/Justice Dept. should get to work now.

That's certainly a good formula for turning this country into a police state -- have the government "investigate" anyone who disagrees with it, and then threaten to throw the Administration's political opponents in jail.

If you "really do think" that, then you have far more in common with Hitler-like totalitarianism than MoveOn does.