NBC Affiliate Rejects Equality Ad, Blames NFL
February 2, 2009
A Los Angeles NBC affiliate says it did not air an equality ad featuring a gay couple and their children during Sunday’s Super Bowl coverage because it was rejected by the NFL late Friday. Meanwhile, the ad did run during Super Bowl coverage on NBC affiliates in other parts of California.
NBC’s owned and operated affiliate KNBC refused to air the paid ad produced by GetToKnowUsFirst.org featuring a gay family and supporting marriage equality during Super Bowl programming, says the groups project organizer John Ireland. According to Ireland, KNBC stated that it had shown the ad to the NFL legal department, which rejected it for being “advocacy,” a category they claim to exclude. Despite this policy, however, other advocacy ads aired multiple times throughout the day’s NFL-controlled programming.
The rejected 30-second ad features two married African American men raising five children ages 6 to 25. Among the advocacy ads which did air on KNBC were PSAs for TobaccoFreeCA.org and DontBeAnAsterisk.org , an anti-steroids advocacy campaign.
Ireland said, “We bought ads before, during and after the Super Bowl in ten markets across California. We planned this buy weeks in advance and heard late Friday that the NFL rejected our ads [in Los Angeles] because they violate the NFL’s ‘no advocacy’ policy. I was truly stunned while watching the programming, to see that they had selectively blocked our ads, while allowing other advocacy ads to air.”
Keith Fisher, CEO of New and Improved Media, the ad agency for GetToKnowUsFirst.org, explained the chain of events. He said, “Late Friday afternoon, KNBC told us they had shown it to the NFL Legal Department and that it was rejected because it was ‘advocacy.’ Clearly, the other ads they ran meet anyone’s definition of advocacy.”
“We are disappointed that this ad couldn’t reach an audience with images of our families during one of the most watched programming events of the year,” said Neil G. Giuliano, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). “GLAAD is calling on KNBC to meet with GLAAD and GetToKnowUsFirst.org to discuss why this message would be rejected and to remedy this situation.”
A series of ads featuring gay and lesbian families were produced for GetToKnowUsFirst.org by the non-profit organization POWER UP. Gina Levy, who directed the PSAs, expressed her anger that the ad buy was blocked. “Marriage Equality is a civil rights issue. As a straight woman, I know this affects all of us, not just people who happen to be gay,” said Levy. “It is important for us all to get to know these families. It’s a shame that’s not going to happen today.”
The rejected ad can be seen at GetToKnowUsFirst.org.
KABC TO AIR REJECTED AD FEATURING GAY FAMILY
January 23, 2009
After a meeting with GLAAD and the marriage equality group GetToKnowUsFirst.org, Los Angeles station KABC-TV announces it will air a gay-inclusive ad it rejected airing on inauguration day. Gay families are part of the KABC family and this is not an issue that is controversial, says KABC President and General Manager.
Los Angeles television station KABC announced today, following a meeting with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and the marriage equality group GetToKnowUsFirst.org, that it would begin to air an ad from GetToKnowUsFirst.org in primetime as early as Sunday, Jan. 25. The ABC-owned television station came under fire for refusing to air the ad during Tuesday’s inaugural coverage, for what a KABC ad exec cited at the time as “a very controversial topic” to air during “programming that will include large family audiences.”
“We are pleased that KABC was willing to meet and discuss this serious issue with us so quickly,” said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano, “and that this important message about our families will be seen by KABC’s audiences in the days and weeks to come.”
The 30-second ad initially rejected by KABC features two married African American men raising five children ages 6 to 25. However, the ad was broadcast before, during and after the inauguration in 42 of California’s 58 counties, where Proposition 8 garnered the majority of the vote. In Los Angeles, the ad appeared on NBC’s owned-and-operated affiliate KNBC.
KABC President and General Manger Arnold J. Kleiner attended today’s meeting where GetToKnowUsFirst.org Project Coordinator John Ireland and GLAAD Director of Entertainment Media Damon Romine advocated that the inclusive ad be scheduled in future programming. Kleiner explained that, independent of the GetToKnowUsFirst.org’s ad, the station had made a decision that during the inauguration they would not air any advocacy advertising, regardless of the content or subject matter.
“I regret that the decision to not air the ad was communicated in a way that was misleading and inaccurate, and I apologize for the misunderstanding that resulted,” said Kleiner. “Having seen the ads, we believe these spots are suitable for airing during any daypart on our schedule. Gay and lesbian families are part of our KABC family, and issues of equality are certainly not a controversial subject for us.”
GetToKnowUsFirst.org’s Ireland expressed satisfaction with the meeting’s outcome. “The point of airing the ad on KABC during the inauguration was to reach the broadest, most diverse audience possible, and that moment has sadly passed and cannot be re-created,” said Ireland. “We are grateful that KABC has taken our concerns seriously and further clarified their initial decision. Mr. Kleiner has assured us that he will find high-profile positions to air the ad during the coming weeks.”
The ad’s first airing on KABC is currently scheduled during Sunday’s new two-hour episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” a program that regularly ranks among the top 10 series on television. Check out the ad here:
