Hey Gang,
Please take a moment to call or write to CBS.
Details and templates below.
-BJ
www.moveon.org/cbs/
Ty78nS.O7yVXA2jNEamPxw
---
Dear friend of MoveOn,
During this year's Super Bowl, you'll see ads
sponsored by beer companies, tobacco companies,
and the Bush White House.(1) But you won't see
the winning ad in MoveOn.org Voter Fund's Bush
in 30 Seconds ad contest. CBS refuses to air it.
(2)
Meanwhile, the White House is on the verge of
signing into law a deal which Senator John
McCain (R-AZ) says is custom-tailored for CBS
and Fox,(3) allowing the two networks to grow
much bigger. CBS lobbied hard for this rule
change; MoveOn.org members across the country
lobbied against it; and now our ad has been
rejected while the White House ad will be
played. It looks an awful lot like CBS is
playing politics with the right to free speech.
Over the last year, you've been a part of our
incredible campaign against media
consolidation. CBS's censorship demonstrates
why this issue is so important: a few big media
companies can effectively stop political
speech. If we can successfully highlight CBS's
unfairness in the media, we'll be able to push
forward our FCC campaign as well.
To watch the ad that CBS won't air and sign our
petition to CBS, go to:
www.moveon.org/cbs/ad/
If you want to skip the ad and just sign the
petition, go to:
www.moveon.org/cbs/
Ty78nS.O7yVXA2jNEamPxw
We'll deliver the petition by email directly to
CBS headquarters.
You also may want to let your local CBS
affiliate know you're unhappy about this
decision.We've attached a list of the CBS
affiliates in your state at the bottom of this
email.
Remember, a polite, friendly call will be most
effective -- just explain to them why you
believe CBS' decision hurts our democracy.
Of course, this is bigger than just the
MoveOn.org Voter Fund. People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA) submitted an ad that
was also rejected.(4) But this isn't even a
progressive-vs.-conservative issue. The
airwaves are publicly owned, so we have a
fundamental right to hear viewpoints from across
the ideological spectrum. That's why we need to
let CBS know that this practice of arbitrarily
turning down ads that may be "controversial" --
especially if they're controversial simply
because they take on the President -- just isn't
right.
CBS will claim that the ad is too controversial
to air. But the message of the ad is a simple
statement of fact, supported by the President's
own figures. Compared with 2002's White House
ad which claimed that drug users are supporting
terrorism,(5) it hardly even registers.
CBS will also claim that this decision isn't an
indication of political bias. But given the
facts, that's hard to believe. CBS
overwhelmingly favored Republicans in its
political giving, and the company spent millions
courting the White House to stop FCC reform.(6)
According to a well-respected study, CBS News
was second only to Fox in failing to correct
common misconceptions about the Iraq war which
benefited the Bush Administration -- for
example, the idea that Saddam Hussein was
involved with 9/11.(7)
This is not a partisan issue. It's critical
that our media institutions be fair and open to
all speakers. CBS is setting a dangerous
precedent, and unless we speak up, the pattern
may continue. Please call on CBS to air ads
which address issues of public importance today.
Sincerely,
--Adam, Carrie, Eli, James, Joan, Laura, Noah,
Peter, Wes, and Zack
The MoveOn.org Team
January 23rd, 2003
P.S. Our friends at Free Press have put together
a page which explains simply how CBS and the FCC
rule change are integrally linked. Check it out
at:
www.mediareform.net/media/
P.P.S Here are the CBS affiliates in your state:
KZTV-TV, Corpus Christi: (361) 883-7070
KXII-TV, Sherman: (903) 892-8123
KTVT-TV, Fort Worth: (817) 451-1111
KAUZ-TV, Wichita Falls: (940) 322-6957
KWTX-TV, Waco: (254) 776-1330
KLST-TV, San Angelo: (325) 949-8800
KHOU-TV, Houston: (713) 526-1111
KFDM-TV, Beaumont: (409) 892-6622
KBTX-TV, Bryan: (979) 846-7777
KVTV-TV, Laredo: (956) 725-5888
KENS-TV, San Antonio: (210) 366-5000
KGBT-TV, Harlingen: (956) 366-4444
KEYE-TV, Austin: (512) 835-0042
KFDA-TV, Amarillo: (806) 383-1010
KLBK-TV, Lubbock: (806) 745-2345
KTAB-TV, Abilene: (325) 695-2777
KOSA-TV, Odessa: (432) 580-5672
KDBC-TV, El Paso: (915) 496-4444
Footnotes:
1. "Who's Buying What At the Super Bowl," Ad
Age, 1/20/04
www.adage.com/news.cms
2. CBS fax to MoveOn.org Voter Fund, 1/14/04
3. "Democrats Fold on 39% TV Cap Fight",
Broadcasting and Cable, 1/21/04
www.broadcastingcable.com/artic...376078
?display=Breaking+News
4. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
www.peta.org/feat/superbowl/
5. "New Media Campaign Stresses Link between
Drugs and Terrorism," U.S. Dept. of State
usinfo.state.gov/topical/p...ror/020205
01.htm
6. OpenSecrets.org: "CBS Television Network Soft
Money Donations"
www.moveon.org/r
7. "Misperceptions, the Media and the Iraq War,"
PIPA/Knowledge Networks Poll
www.pipa.org/OnlineRepor...q/Media_10_0
2_03_Report.pdf
Please take a moment to call or write to CBS.
Details and templates below.
-BJ
www.moveon.org/cbs/
Ty78nS.O7yVXA2jNEamPxw
---
Dear friend of MoveOn,
During this year's Super Bowl, you'll see ads
sponsored by beer companies, tobacco companies,
and the Bush White House.(1) But you won't see
the winning ad in MoveOn.org Voter Fund's Bush
in 30 Seconds ad contest. CBS refuses to air it.
(2)
Meanwhile, the White House is on the verge of
signing into law a deal which Senator John
McCain (R-AZ) says is custom-tailored for CBS
and Fox,(3) allowing the two networks to grow
much bigger. CBS lobbied hard for this rule
change; MoveOn.org members across the country
lobbied against it; and now our ad has been
rejected while the White House ad will be
played. It looks an awful lot like CBS is
playing politics with the right to free speech.
Over the last year, you've been a part of our
incredible campaign against media
consolidation. CBS's censorship demonstrates
why this issue is so important: a few big media
companies can effectively stop political
speech. If we can successfully highlight CBS's
unfairness in the media, we'll be able to push
forward our FCC campaign as well.
To watch the ad that CBS won't air and sign our
petition to CBS, go to:
www.moveon.org/cbs/ad/
If you want to skip the ad and just sign the
petition, go to:
www.moveon.org/cbs/
Ty78nS.O7yVXA2jNEamPxw
We'll deliver the petition by email directly to
CBS headquarters.
You also may want to let your local CBS
affiliate know you're unhappy about this
decision.We've attached a list of the CBS
affiliates in your state at the bottom of this
email.
Remember, a polite, friendly call will be most
effective -- just explain to them why you
believe CBS' decision hurts our democracy.
Of course, this is bigger than just the
MoveOn.org Voter Fund. People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA) submitted an ad that
was also rejected.(4) But this isn't even a
progressive-vs.-conservative issue. The
airwaves are publicly owned, so we have a
fundamental right to hear viewpoints from across
the ideological spectrum. That's why we need to
let CBS know that this practice of arbitrarily
turning down ads that may be "controversial" --
especially if they're controversial simply
because they take on the President -- just isn't
right.
CBS will claim that the ad is too controversial
to air. But the message of the ad is a simple
statement of fact, supported by the President's
own figures. Compared with 2002's White House
ad which claimed that drug users are supporting
terrorism,(5) it hardly even registers.
CBS will also claim that this decision isn't an
indication of political bias. But given the
facts, that's hard to believe. CBS
overwhelmingly favored Republicans in its
political giving, and the company spent millions
courting the White House to stop FCC reform.(6)
According to a well-respected study, CBS News
was second only to Fox in failing to correct
common misconceptions about the Iraq war which
benefited the Bush Administration -- for
example, the idea that Saddam Hussein was
involved with 9/11.(7)
This is not a partisan issue. It's critical
that our media institutions be fair and open to
all speakers. CBS is setting a dangerous
precedent, and unless we speak up, the pattern
may continue. Please call on CBS to air ads
which address issues of public importance today.
Sincerely,
--Adam, Carrie, Eli, James, Joan, Laura, Noah,
Peter, Wes, and Zack
The MoveOn.org Team
January 23rd, 2003
P.S. Our friends at Free Press have put together
a page which explains simply how CBS and the FCC
rule change are integrally linked. Check it out
at:
www.mediareform.net/media/
P.P.S Here are the CBS affiliates in your state:
KZTV-TV, Corpus Christi: (361) 883-7070
KXII-TV, Sherman: (903) 892-8123
KTVT-TV, Fort Worth: (817) 451-1111
KAUZ-TV, Wichita Falls: (940) 322-6957
KWTX-TV, Waco: (254) 776-1330
KLST-TV, San Angelo: (325) 949-8800
KHOU-TV, Houston: (713) 526-1111
KFDM-TV, Beaumont: (409) 892-6622
KBTX-TV, Bryan: (979) 846-7777
KVTV-TV, Laredo: (956) 725-5888
KENS-TV, San Antonio: (210) 366-5000
KGBT-TV, Harlingen: (956) 366-4444
KEYE-TV, Austin: (512) 835-0042
KFDA-TV, Amarillo: (806) 383-1010
KLBK-TV, Lubbock: (806) 745-2345
KTAB-TV, Abilene: (325) 695-2777
KOSA-TV, Odessa: (432) 580-5672
KDBC-TV, El Paso: (915) 496-4444
Footnotes:
1. "Who's Buying What At the Super Bowl," Ad
Age, 1/20/04
www.adage.com/news.cms
2. CBS fax to MoveOn.org Voter Fund, 1/14/04
3. "Democrats Fold on 39% TV Cap Fight",
Broadcasting and Cable, 1/21/04
www.broadcastingcable.com/artic...376078
?display=Breaking+News
4. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
www.peta.org/feat/superbowl/
5. "New Media Campaign Stresses Link between
Drugs and Terrorism," U.S. Dept. of State
usinfo.state.gov/topical/p...ror/020205
01.htm
6. OpenSecrets.org: "CBS Television Network Soft
Money Donations"
www.moveon.org/r
7. "Misperceptions, the Media and the Iraq War,"
PIPA/Knowledge Networks Poll
www.pipa.org/OnlineRepor...q/Media_10_0
2_03_Report.pdf
posted by:
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Austin
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