NBC reverses course, offers conservatives access to airwaves

For quite a while, it seemed as if the only political ads that were rejected by television networks came from the left. Last week, for example, Fox News rejected an ad from the Center for Constitutional Rights about the administration’s torture because, as Bill O’Reilly insisted, the ad was “anti-American.” Last year, NBC refused to run an ad from MoveOn.org about alleged Republican corruption. Around the same time, all of the major TV networks rejected an ad by the United Church of Christ that told viewers, “No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you’re welcome here.”

The trend has been discouraging. In November 2005, Fox News wouldn’t run anti-Alito ads. Not long beforehand, MoveOn.org raised enough money to buy an ad during the Super Bowl, but CBS rejected it, noting its “long-term policy not to air issue ads anywhere on the network.” Just a few weeks prior, CBS and NBC refused advertising from the UCC because the church’s open, tolerant message of inclusion was labeled “too controversial.”

With this background in mind, it came as a bit of a surprise last week when NBC rejected a political ad from Freedom’s Watch, a right-wing group created to support the White House’s policy agenda.

NBC has rejected a TV ad by the White House front group Freedom’s Watch “because it refers to the group’s Web site, which the network said was too political.” The ad thanks soldiers for their service but also contains a “welcoming message” that states: “For too long, conservatives have lacked a permanent political presence to do battle with the radical special interests groups and their left-wing allies in government.” “We have a policy that prohibits acceptance of advertising that deals with issues of public controversy,” said Alan Wurtzel of NBC.

As much as I’m opposed to Freedom’s Watch, this wasn’t exactly welcome news. I don’t want the left and right blocked from the public’s airwaves, I’d prefer the networks allow both sides to advertise and reach the public.

That said, I was at least mildly encouraged that NBC was being even-handed — the network rebuffed MoveOn.org, a message of tolerance from the United Church of Christ, and the loyal Bushies at Freedom’s Watch.

Or so I thought.



It didn’t take long for NBC to reverse course and offer the right the access it had denied the left.

NBC reversed course Saturday and decided to air a conservative group’s television ad thanking U.S. troops. The ad, by the group Freedom’s Watch, asks viewers to remember the troops during the holiday season. NBC had refused to air the ad because it guides viewers to the Freedom’s Watch Web site, which NBC said was too political. But in a statement issued Saturday evening, NBC said: “We have reviewed and changed our ad standards guidelines and made the decision that our policy will apply to content only and not to a referenced Web site. Based on these amended standards the Freedom’s Watch ad will begin to run as early as Sunday.” NBC’ head of standards and practices, Alan Wurtzel, notified Freedom’s Watch’s media consultant Saturday by e-mail, writing: “This will confirm that the Freedom’s Watch spot is approved for air.” Freedom’s Watch President Bradley A. Blakeman welcomed the decision. “We’re actually very happy that NBC has agreed to change its position because it will only help the troops be properly thanked,” he said.

So much for even-handedness.