Warning Politics: CBS refuses anti-Bush superbowl ad

brianleahy

brianleahy

Colonel Panic
I mentioned this in another thread, but decided it deserves a thread of it's own.

The organization Moveon.org held a contest to create the best 30 second anti-Bush politcal ad, and they intended to purchase a slot during the Superbowl to broadcast the winning clip.

Well CBS has refused to air it, despite the organization's willingness to pay the hefty price Superbowl ads always command, and the commercial containing nothing even vaguely offensive to anyone but those offended by drawing attention to the national debt.

To view the winning ad, and optionally sign a petition urging CBS to reconsider, click here.

http://www.moveon.org/cbs/ad/

Before anyone decides to point this out, I am well aware that CBS has the legal right to refuse any sponsor for no reason at all. I am not suggesting they are breaking the law, only showing a clear bias that makes a mockery of the "liberal media" myth.
 
The add is asinine and doesn't belong in the Super Bowl time slots, and I dislike Bush with a passion.
 
sigh

I have a wild hunch it won't be the only asinine ad on there, granted there will be some pro-Bush ads as well.

Your quibble is with the choice of the winner, not CBS, nect ce pas?
 
The Super Bowl is a great party time, we don't need no stink political ads during that time.
 
Then YOU should write to CBS and tell them not to air ANY political ads, pro-Bush or con.

We're discussing bias here, not Football parties (roll eyes)
 
I should write to Scott and ask that a new Board Rule be put into place - No politics of any kind here. We don't need this crap here.
 
Well one of us is close to crossing the line, you don't like my topic, and I think you're in troll territory.


EDIT: "The Cafe: Welcome! Pull up a seat, discuss whatever else is on your mind. "

Politcs has always been embraced here.

Don't like the thread? Don't read or post to it. Don't like me? You can "hide" my posts. You have no leg to stand on, sir.
 
It's Super Bowl, two words, not superbowl. Maybe a special cafe could be added for political talk. Personally, I could do without hearing disinformation and propaganda from all sides of the political spectrum. But it is an election year and people will talk, even though there's no way in hell one side is going to convince the other.
I vote for an outdoor pol cafe. Make Tree the mod, he can't vote anyway. ::ha::
 
I vote for an outdoor pol cafe.
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I'm all for that, if it'll help keep the peace.

Sorry for my typo on Super Bowl. I'm probably the most football-averse white male in the US, and so I know virtually nothing about it.
 
Sadly, the fact that CBS is doing this should not be a surprise to anyone. Their news coverage has been... questionable at best, for quite some time now. A poll was taken a few months ago where three questions were asked:
  • Has the United States uncovered evidence demonstrating a close working relationship between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda? (48% wrong)
  • Have weapons of mass destruction been found in Iraq? (22% wrong)
  • Did most people in other countries backed the U.S. war against Saddam Hussein? (25% wrong)
(the percent of people who answered incorrectly is listed in parentheses for each question)

Additionally, the people polled were asked where they got their news from, here are a few of the results:

  • Fox News: 85% got one wrong, 45% got all three wrong
    CBS News: 71% got one wrong, 15% got all three wrong
    PBS/NPR: 23% got one wrong, 4% got all three wrong

CBS may not be as bad as Fox News, but they sure haven't been the best source of news. The fact that CBS holds a broadcast license makes them part of a public trust. If they are going to censor free speech and political views, they should relinquish their license and become a cable (pay) only station.

On a side note... I thought there were some better ads than the one that won.
 
id rather no political ads be aired either way myself...

but AFAIK they are airing pro-bush ads, just not anti-bush ads, and IMHO that isnt quite fair, especially if the money and support is there.
 
There's a lot of discussion in Ireland at the moment about giving politicians running for election to the Dáil (our parliament) blocks of airtime on national television. Also give the major parties an amount of money to campaign with. While it would cost the taxpayer, it would mean that politicians would have to account for every penny and it would eliminate the influence of big business. There have been endless tribunals examining property development deals made in the 80's and early 90's here, it mostly comes down to illicit donations from business interests, I don't know if it would work but it sounds interesting. I have no clue how you would implement something like that in the States but there doesn't seem to be much concern about political figures connections to industrial powers over there. I read that Bush already has a massive war chest accumulated to fight the election, that sounds like an unbelievable system. There is outrage in Ireland whenever a political figure is even rumoured to be connected with well known business interests. It's got to the stage that even €500 political donations are scrutinized!
 
Speaking only for myself, *I* am outraged by the Bush's & Cheney's connections to business interests. And if a politician shows a REALLY blatant display of favoritism toward a particular business, it can cause some uproar.

But it just isn't the political poison that it apparently is in Ireland - and as I personally feel it should be here. There are many people here who actually seem to think that the purpose of the government is just to make sure businesses do well.
 
Yeah, they're involved in big business usually.

CBS definitely shouldn't be censoring this ad if they are going to be showing White House-sponsored commercials. And if enough people sign the petition, they will have to relinquish, as they are in the public domain. Hopefully.
 
I support Brian and his right to discuss Politics. The Super Bowl can have anything it wants on there. Anyone who doesnt want to discuss politics can go read about the newest Finding Nemo game or something for the mac :D
 
For the purposes of this policy, a controversial issue of public importance is defined as one that has a significant impact on society or its institutions, and is the subject of vigorous debate with substantial elements of the community in opposition to one another. A commercial announcement will be considered unacceptable if it: (1) explicitly takes a position on such an issue, or (2) without taking an explicit position, presents arguments parallel to those being made by one side or the other in the debate concerning the issue, so as to constitute implicit advocacy.
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What's "controversial" here? The message of the ads is that the children of today's tax payers will be paying off Bush's huge national debt. That's not a topic of debate, it's a mathematical fact. I haven't even heard a REPUBLICAN question that part. Bush won't raise taxes, and won't stop spending. What other possibility is there? Is Bush counting on his successor, whoever that will be, to raise taxes instead?

Notwithstanding the foregoing, CTN will sell time to political candidates, to those authorized by candidates to purchase time on their behalf and to political parties. CTN also sells time to groups supporting or opposing significant ballot propositions.
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Well! There you go. Moveon.org just needs to have a candidate or party purchase the time slot on their behalf.
 
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