Demand CBS Reverse Marijuana Ad Decision - 2/13/10

[Derek Rosenzweig]

Action alert for all members: Sign the PETITION!

We need 5,000 signatures. As of this writing, we are at 3,241. Media who pick and choose what their audience sees based on some outdated, insane 'morality' which often times is against the true morals and interests of the media entity in question, should be punished. CBS thinks people shouldn't do marijuana? That's their opinion. But when they use that opinion as an excuse to inhibit the right to free speech that we have guaranteed by the First amendment, we need to use that right to free speech to let them know they are WRONG. And on this issue, they are 100% wrong. More on this from NORML National can be found at http://blog.norml.org/2010/02/12/tell-cbs-that-its-time-that-they-change-their-morals/.

Demand CBS Reverse Decision Declaring Pro-Marijuana Ad "Too Political"

Targeting: Leslie Moonves (CBS CEO), Dana McClintock (CBS Senior VP for Corporate Communications) and Jeremy Murphy (CBS Outdoor VP Communications)

Started by: Change.org

CBS, which recently ran a superbowl ad sponsored by the extreme right-wing group Focus on the Family, has just rejected an ad by NORML calling for the legalization of marijuana.

The ad was supposed to run on Times Square billboards owned by CBS in New York City. The slogan at the end of the ad was simply "Legalize Marijuana - Billions in Taxes."

CBS previously rejected ads from a variety of progressive organizations including MoveOn and the United Church of Christ by saying that it didn't accept "advocacy" ads at all. In response to the controversy surrounding the Focus on the Family ad, however, the company claimed it changed its policy and would now accept "responsibly produced" advocacy ads.

An email from the ad buying company NORML used told the organization "that If CBS changes their morals we will let you know."

CBS is clearly acting in bad faith as it accepts conservative political ads but not progressive ones. The company is not only banning NORML's message, it is implicitly endorsing Focus on the Family at the same time.

Send an email to CBS and tell them to accept the NORML ad now! - PETITION LINK

Petition text at Change.org:

"Last week CBS ran an ad during the superbowl sponsored by the ultra-conservative Focus on the Family. When challenged regarding CBS’s past decisions to reject ads from progressive groups like MoveOn.org and the United Church of Christ, your company said that it now accepts “responsibly produced” advocacy ads.

But now CBS has been accused of rejecting ads sponsored by NORML calling for the legalization of marijuana because they are “too political.”

It seems like CBS is picking and choosing which advocacy ads to accept based on political preference for right-wing messages.

This is not only hypocritical, but dishonest and at best poor judgment on CBS’s part. If you are now accepting advocacy ads you should accept NORML’s very reasonable ad for your Times Square billboards.

By rejecting the NORML ad you are not only doing a disservice to the public by limiting speech based on political viewpoint, but you are implicitly endorsing the views of Focus on the Family and its message.

I hope this was simply a mistake and that CBS will quickly reverse this decision."

[Quietus]

Well you had me ready to sign until the text turned blue.

Then it suddenly dropped into a black hole, exiting into some lunatic bizzaro world where a mother expressing her love for her child is an 'extreme view.'  The only way the viewpoint in the petition is possible, is if you're leaning so far left you're falling off the port side of the boat.

I believe in free speech.  I think CBS is wrong in their decision, just like the wonderfully constructed ads that were censored in NY a few months ago by local TV.  However I can not in good conscience sign my name to a piece of garbage.

[Derek Rosenzweig]

The message of the FotF ad is not what we're talking about, it's the group in question's political leaning and the fact that CBS accepted their ad and not one from NORML that is the issue. NORML's ad was politically neutral in nature, stating a fact that the US could raise billions in tax revenue, but because of who purchased it CBS decided that it's too political. The only thing too political is their decision to break their contract and reject that ad. Its hypocritical of them to accept an ad from a right wing group with a right wing message, while denying an ad from a group with a specific libertarian perspective. They based their decision on the group's position, not the message itself, and that is why you should sign the petition.

Also the petition itself does not make the claim that FotF is extreme, it makes the claim that it is not progressive.

[Quietus]

The message of the FotF ad is not what we're talking about, it's the group in question's political leaning and the fact that CBS accepted their ad and not one from NORML that is the issue. NORML's ad was politically neutral in nature, stating a fact that the US could raise billions in tax revenue, but because of who purchased it CBS decided that it's too political. The only thing too political is their decision to break their contract and reject that ad. Its hypocritical of them to accept an ad from a right wing group with a right wing message, while denying an ad from a group with a specific libertarian perspective. They based their decision on the group's position, not the message itself, and that is why you should sign the petition.

You Derek make a reasoned argument.  Censorship of because of a differing political viewpoint is wrong for a media outlet.  That is of course, part and parcel of why the ratings for CBS, CNN and other stations are plummeting.

I see now reading again, that the petition itself is somewhat more reasoned and apolitical that I first thought.  However it seems to have been buried inside some blog where the inflammatory language was presented.

Also the petition itself does not make the claim that FotF is extreme, it makes the claim that it is not progressive.

The more reasonable petition is buried at the bottom of the lunacy, with such statements as the following at the top.

sponsored by the extreme right-wing group Focus on the Family

Notice they don't characterize MoveOn.org as an 'extreme left-wing group' in the same piece.  The fact is, it probably wouldn't matter which group made what ad.  If it expressed a conservative viewpoint, it would have the tag-label 'extreme' magically attached to it.  When conservatives do it, they replace the word extreme with 'radical.'  That is nothing more than team politics and is not productive if discourse is truly the goal.

It's the standard tactic of trying to marginalize your opponents by mischaracterization.  You're Anti-Choice! No you're Pro-dead babies!  Both sides join in the same game and I simply refuse to play.

Now the petition itself is a little better.  Calling the group 'ultra-conservative.'  However, I'm not quite sure how you can be ultra-conservative or ultra-liberal.  You either are or you aren't.  I'll go sign it now.