Glad I watch cable….

A while ago, FreedomWatch.org had a few ads on TV; most had either vets or family members of service members asking that the troops be allowed to complete the mission – and be allowed to win.

Now for the holidays (Christmas and New Years), they are looking to run a few more ads but NBC, for one, is refusing to run the ads. 

Fox News (heh!) is reporting:

NBC has nixed holiday advertisements meant to thank troops for serving overseas in opposition to the inclusion of a non-profit’s Web address.

The ads, paid for by the non-profit Freedom’s Watch, are a simple thank you, the group says, with people shown paying gratitude to members of the military and the final frame showing the group’s Web address, www.freedomswatch.org.

Click here and here to view the ads that NBC won’t air.

NBC is refusing to air the ads as long as the address is included, according to an e-mail exchange between NBC and the group, which Freedom’s Watch provided to FOX News.

"Per my previous email, the www.freedomswatch.org website will have to be redacted from the commercials for approval. This comes from Alan Wurtzel and Rick Cotton," according to one of the notes.

Wurtzel is president of research at NBC. Rick Cotton is general counsel for NBC Universal.

Speaking with FOX on Friday, Wurtzel said NBC has no problem with the content of the ad, specificallythe well-wishes to troops.

However, he said, the link to the website violates their policy on controversial issue advertising because it encourages political action and other activities. He said the policy is applied consistently across the board and this group was not targeted in any way.

Uh-huh…so not it is controversial to say "thank you"?  Even Lefties (many, not all) say that they support the troops (if not their mission – what a crock).  So NBC continues to recast or reframe the issue as controversial?  With what – some tiny, miniscule number of the population?  

So, NBC, you believe that this is going to endear you to a wider audience?  Seeing that your audience is dwindling at a rate faster than the decrease in violence in Baghdad, why continue to alienate them?  Here right before you, ladies and gentlemen, is a PR debacle in the making. 

Wurtzel also expressed general concerns that NBC has about people with "deep pockets" being able to buy up a great deal of advertising and affect public perception on any issue, solely because they have the money to do it.

 

Gee, I thought that was called ADVERTISING?  They seem to allow it on their shows quite a bit….even from Presidential Candidates, and PACs, and other political 527s.

Mote, beam, eye.