Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - PUB DISCUSSION Tim Tebow and Mother Super Bowl Ad

Charlatan · 02-07-2010, 09:33 PM

To say this ad is uncontroversial is to miss the point entirely.

Who cares about the abortion issues... this was an ad for Focus on the Family. FOTF is an odious organization.

As I see it, CBS should stay away from these sorts of things. However, if CBS is going to start accepting advocacy ads then they need to let other organizations, organizations that it's board of directors, management and, most importantly, certain portions of the public, will not like. IF they are going to go down they route they need a very clear set of guidelines dictating what is needed to be acceptable (i.e. so when they reject something they can point to the policy -- clarity will be difficult to achieve but it will be essential once you go down this path). Otherwise, yes, the FCC should be called into play.

Why should the FCC be called into play? The airwaves are Public. CBS, and organizations like them, license these rights from the people (notice I did not say, purchase or buy... a license implies that their use of the airwaves is at the people's pleasure). As such they should not be allowed to use these airwaves as a bully pulpit or a place to air skewed political messages, etc. The people should hold these licensees to account and the proper venue for that accounting is (or should be) the FCC.

I am not clear on US law but if laws don't exist to create a balance in paid advocacy ads, there should be.

02-07-2010, 09:33 PM	#64 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	To say this ad is uncontroversial is to miss the point entirely. Who cares about the abortion issues... this was an ad for Focus on the Family. FOTF is an odious organization. As I see it, CBS should stay away from these sorts of things. However, if CBS is going to start accepting advocacy ads then they need to let other organizations, organizations that it's board of directors, management and, most importantly, certain portions of the public, will not like. IF they are going to go down they route they need a very clear set of guidelines dictating what is needed to be acceptable (i.e. so when they reject something they can point to the policy -- clarity will be difficult to achieve but it will be essential once you go down this path). Otherwise, yes, the FCC should be called into play. Why should the FCC be called into play? The airwaves are Public. CBS, and organizations like them, license these rights from the people (notice I did not say, purchase or buy... a license implies that their use of the airwaves is at the people's pleasure). As such they should not be allowed to use these airwaves as a bully pulpit or a place to air skewed political messages, etc. The people should hold these licensees to account and the proper venue for that accounting is (or should be) the FCC. I am not clear on US law but if laws don't exist to create a balance in paid advocacy ads, there should be. __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke Last edited by Charlatan; 02-07-2010 at 11:47 PM..