Screenshot of NBC's Super Bowl website.
Posted on 01/29/2009 10:03:18 AM PST by NYer
NBC has refused to air CatholicVote.org’s new pro-life ad during its broadcast of this Sunday’s Super Bowl game.
According to a Jan. 29 press release from CatholicVote.org, “After several days of negotiations, an NBC representative in Chicago told CatholicVote.org late yesterday that NBC and the NFL are not interested in advertisements involving ‘political candidates or issues.’”
Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote.org, said in the press release, “There is nothing objectionable in this positive, life-affirming advertisement. We show a beautiful ultrasound, something NBC’s parent company GE has done for years. We congratulate Barack Obama on becoming the first African-American President. And we simply ask people to imagine the potential of each human life.”
The 30-second ad has no graphic content nor even any direct references to abortion.
It features an ultrasound image of a baby in the womb and images of Barack Obama, along with a narration describing how the president’s mother chose to give birth to him and nurtured him as a single mother after his Kenyan-born father left the family, allowing Obama to grow up to become the nation’s first African-American president.
The pro-life ad can be viewed here at CatholicVote.org’s website, as well as here and here at the Daily Blog’s earlier posts regarding the ad. It was released Jan. 19 by CatholicVote.org, timed to coincide with Obama’s inauguration the next day. It immediately became one of YouTube’s most watched videos after it was posted on the Internet.
The ad was broadcast on the Black Entertainment Television in Chicago during its Jan. 21 coverage of the presidential inauguration.
In a Jan. 27 interview, Burch told the Daily Blog that NBC officials had just told him that their legal department had decided the pro-life ad was suitable for airing during Sunday’s Super Bowl broadcast after watching the CatholicVote.org video.
Burch, who is also president of the Fidelis Center for Law and Policy, told the Daily Blog that a NBC official said to him about the ad, “I’m neither pro-life nor pro-choice, but this is the best pro-life ad I’ve ever seen.”
The Daily Blog has contacted NBC for comment about the corporation’s subsequent decision to refuse to air CatholicVote.org’s pro-life ad and is awaiting a reply.
Burch said in the Jan. 29 CatholicVote.org press release that a double standard appears to have been applied against the pro-life ad. Burch noted that an animal-rights ad submitted by PETA for airing on this year’s Super Bowl broadcast was rejected for excessive sexual content, not for its advocacy of a political issue.
Said Burch, “NBC claims it doesn’t allow advocacy ads, but that’s not true. They were willing to air an ad by PETA if they would simply tone down the sexual suggestiveness. Our ad is far less provocative and hardly controversial by comparison.”
Added Burch, “The purpose of our new ad is to spread a message of hope about the potential of every human life, including the life of Barack Obama.”
Fair points, both of you. However, this is about as good as a televised sports event gets anymore. The World Series isn’t any better.
I really don’t think this group would actually want the ad to air during the game. Much like the rejected PETA ad, I think this about getting publicity and getting many views without having to pony up $3 million for the ad time. The rejectiona dn associated publicity is much more cost effective.
Olberman is doing the pre-game show. That’s going to be all Obama and very little football. I saw the PETA ad on their web-site and it is not appropriate for a football game that children will be watching. And I won’t change my mind about it no matter how many times I watch it.
Sneak Peek: Coca-Cola Super Bowl Ad (Sen. Bill Frist and James Carville)(aol video ^ | Jan 2, 2008 | AP video)
(Superbowl Ads.) 'Multilingualism', A National Tragedy (World Net Daily ^ | Sunday, February 5, 2006 | Franklin Raff)
The spot shows a father talking to his son, in English and Spanish, about the benefits of the new car:"Papa, Why do we have a hybrid?"
"For your future ... It's better for the air, and, we spend less because it runs on gas and electrical power. It uses both."
"Like you, with English and Spanish!"
"Si!"
Toyota vice president Jim Farley says the spot "incorporates the truth that parents are always moving forward in their lives, and we think the commercial will really resonate across cultural lines and show the benefits of our new Camry Hybrid in a touching and effective way."
I guess they should be a bit more pro-active in the message, “If Barack Hussein Obama Sr. had used a condom, he may never have had to commit bigamy with a Hawaiian woman who eventually went to Indonesia to find herself.” - Sponsored by Trojan.
I think that's a good approach. The Superbowl is a national event. It's not a bad thing to have some events that don't involve politics.
That was one of the good things about Hockey Night in Canada growing up. Don Cherry never allowed politics on his show, regardless of what was going on in Canada at the time. It was always all about the hockey.
Ironically, this is a good thing.
Sports and politics generally do not mix well. There would likely be resentment among Super Bowl viewers if they were suddenly yanked from their drunken reverie and confronted with a serious political issue like abortion. Trying to air this ad during the Super Bowl was not a wise idea and might actually have elicited a backlash.
everything unfortunately
“NBC claims it doesn’t allow advocacy ads, but that’s not true....”
Last year Obama ran ads!!!
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Those were local ad purchases in local markets. NBC opens up some commercial time for the local affiliates.
Apples and oranges. NBC did not have approval over the local ads.
The NFL is a smart business and it doesn’t rile up people during the Super Bowl. No politics. Enjoy the game.
How you doing, FBD? Hope all is well with you and your family.
hey jla!
All is well on this end.
I hope things are the same for you?
Regards
All good here in Virginia.
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“NBC Airs Obama Interview during Super Bowl Pre-Game
http://www.mediabuyerplanner.com/2009/01/27/nbc-airs-obama-interview-during-super-bowl-pre-game/ “
Thank you for that!
In last years Superbowl, they showed an Obama campaign ad.
Sadly, everything.
Just sent a message to NBC. I’ll not be watching. That’s a first boycott for me, and I really wanted to see if Fitzgerald, Boldin and Warner could overcome the Steelers’ D which I think is the best they’ve had in a long time.
With FOCA around the corner the timing and publicity are too important, and despite it’s flaws (a couple minor ones), it’s a brilliant ad.
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