Posted on 03/28/2013 6:21:43 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Yesterday we reported on the case of United Loan and Firearm versus Comcast. The owner of that shop, Ray Reynolds, says that Comcast is censoring his TV ads that run on Comcast Cable. The cable giant is demanding that he truncate “United Loan and Firearm” to remove the reference to guns, and that he remove any imagery of guns from his ad. If he does not comply, his ad will not run.
Comcast’s new policy extends beyond Georgia. Bob Viden, owner of Bob’s Little Sport Shop in Glassboro, New Jersey, told the Conservative Commando radio show on Wednesday that Comcast is making the same demands of him.
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“Are you still able to advertise on Comcast?” host Rick Trader asks Viden.
“No, we’re not. In fact they told us we had to change our ad so that it would not show any guns or the archery being shot in the range if we wanted to run the ad,” Viden replied. “So we elected that if we cannot run the ad the way we want it we’re not going to run the ad.”
Viden’s store had advertised on Comcast for several years before this issue ever came up, but now refuses to run ads that their own crews shot and produced.
“There were in and shot the film a couple years ago. I had my grandsons shooting archery,” Viden said, “and we had people out on the range, and it focused on the range and it showed the backs of people shooting downrange. All in a safe manner. And they have rejected that, even the archery from the ad, so we figured, that’s it.”
According to Viden, Comcast representatives told his daughter, who handles the store’s advertising, that the cable giant has a new policy that does not allow commercials to show guns or even archery gear, even though it is being used in a safe manner in the ad. Meanwhile, Comcast airs numerous shows that depict firearms and other weapons being used by criminals, police, and others in entirely unsafe manners all the time.
Trader asked Viden why the cable giant is choosing not to show guns used in a safe manner, as in his commercial, while its shows portray guns being used unsafely so often.
“We thought that if you really wanted to show an ad showing the safe handling of a firearm, as opposed to the way most people see it handled on some of the TV shows, it’s not unusual to see people running through the streets shooting at people or running out on their balcony and shooting two shots off in the air, and this type of stuff is not going on in real life with people who handle guns safely,” Viden said.
Listen to the entire interview here.
CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE INTERVIEW
Vice President Joseph Biden has recently advised people to buy shotguns, and fire warning shots off their balconies, for self-defense. Not only is his advice unsafe, following it could get you charged with a felony.
Sodomy would be fine though.
In any market in the country, Comcast delivers programming that shows thousands of murders per day. They have no problem with that revenue stream. Yet they reject the ad from a local shop showing law-abiding citizens practicing their Constitutionally-protected rights of self-defense. What an ignorant management team.
If Comcast in banning guns from its system, they are going to have to eliminate a huge percentage of their programming.
While the suits at Comcast are clearly obnoxious jerks, it is a private company and has the right to show what it wants. If the shop owner paid for the ad and shot it before this directive from on high arrived he is entitled to a refund on his payment and IMO,compensation for the cost of the shoot as he was not told of these asinine restrictions beforehand.
I’m looking for an alternative to Comcast. Only use them for internet access, but would love to tell them to take their bandwidth and shove it.
It seems to me that COMCAST is objecting to the SAFE handling and using of guns, usage that does not pile up bodies.
They strangely seem to revel in the depiction of UNSAFE, ILLEGAL, and FELONY usage of all manner of violent actions.
In fact, it looks as though Comcast it making the depiction of violent death increasingly graphic and stomach turning.
Is it possible that Comcast objects to the showing of safe, non-injurious gun and bow/arrow use? It is not as exciting.
Ditto
Not just for their latest anti gun nonsense, I already had plenty of reasons.
Our country desperately needs a competitive alternate to Comcast; in many ways their management and services are vile and expensive.
If anyone on your email list uses comcast tell them about this, and tell them that you are about to block comcast from your inbox.
But they would take an ad for gay ‘marriage’
With the rise if Direct TV and Fios the monopoly argument is not as strong. Also, I think the monopoly argument would be persuasive only if it could be established that Comcast was favoring one advertiser over a competitor. So if this merchant could show this was done to keep him from advertising in favor of a competitor of his the monopoly argument would be stronger. Still.a cable service provider does not have to sell time to any business the provider has anissue with. Radio stations that target a specific audience don’t carry ads that associate with a different audience.
I would like for you to reference the following article and tell me if this is true or not. What is the Comcast policy and response to this:
http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2013/03/27/comcast-tells-new-jersey-gun-shop-owner-that-his-ads-cannot-show-guns-or-even-archery-gear/?singlepage=true
According to the article, Comcast is demanding that advertisers remove references to the word "Gun" and that they remove all images of guns from their advertisement videos.
Please do not ignore my question, this is a very important issue to me and I need a definitive answer from Comcast on their policy and where they stand on this public accusation. I think all subscribers deserve to know.
Thank you and best regards
True enough, although it’s pretty hard to get local channels via Satellite. Some people can use rabbit ears.
You could make a similar argument that it then gives Comcast the right to block this business owner’s website from his local customers who are Comcast cable Internet subscribers.
It is well within the rights of a company to accept or decline advertisers, except when the company gets in bed with the government. To have an exclusive franchise with government at the same time as making content decisions should end the franchise and open the market!
COMCAST is being threatened by the Obama administration. They have to toe the line.
“I’m looking for an alternative to Comcast.”
Check Verizon, Verizon and other cell companies. Some offer ground lines. Prices tend to be more expensive for Internet service, but include cell service.
Smaller providers are less common than they once were, but still exist in large cities. Check friends with odd email addresses (after the @).
Good luck.
“While the suits at Comcast are clearly obnoxious jerks, it is a private company and has the right to show what it wants....”
If they are a private company, then I guess I have a right to cut Comcast wires on public utility poles.
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